Significant Fee Discrepancies Found in Surgery Costs
Australians with health insurance are being urged to compare surgery costs among surgeons before undergoing procedures. New data shows significant cost disparities for the same surgeries. Private Healthcare Australia (PHA) advises patients to ask about fees to avoid unexpected expenses.
Data from PHA reveals that patients face vastly different charges for common surgeries. Some pay nothing out of pocket, while others incur thousands in fees. For example, cataract surgery had a median fee of $500, but 10% of patients paid over $1,800. Knee replacements showed a median of $1,080, yet some were charged more than $5,300.
Discrepancies were also found in hip replacements, gall bladder removals, and children’s surgeries. Hip replacements had a median fee of $1,240, but 10% of patients paid over $5,500. Gall bladder removal showed a median of $600, with some patients charged more than $2,410. For children’s tonsil removal, the median fee was $850, yet charges exceeded $2,210 for 10% of cases.
PHA Recommends Cost Discussions
Private Healthcare Australia advises Australians to discuss costs with their GP and seek surgeons who offer bulk billing or moderate fees. Dr Rachel David, CEO of PHA, emphasised the importance of asking questions to potentially save thousands in medical expenses.
Dr David stated, “In Australia, all surgeons are highly skilled, so there is no evidence you will get a better outcome from a more expensive surgeon.”
Research indicates that about 1 in 3 people are delaying specialist visits due to cost concerns. To address this, PHA encourages patients to inquire about costs and consider different specialists based on affordability.
Australians planning surgery in 2026 are advised to communicate their budget concerns with GPs, obtain written estimates from surgeons, and verify participation in no-gap or known-gap arrangements with their health funds. Each year, hundreds of thousands of Australians undergo surgery in the private health system, accounting for around two-thirds of all planned surgeries nationwide.
Last updated: 1 June 2026, 3:25 pm
