- For private bariatric surgery it is important to have private health insurance that covers obesity surgery.
- There will be out of pocket costs or gap charges depending on health fund and type of surgery.
Perth Weight Loss & Surgery Costs
Estimate cost of weight loss surgery with insurance
The estimated out-of-pocket cost of various bariatric surgeries for patients with private health insurance (and obesity surgery cover) range from $900 to $4,500. This includes:
This also covers the cost of the surgeon, anaesthetist and surgical assistant.
Private health insurance cover is dependent on a range of factors, including:
- The type of health fund cover
- Primary or revisional surgery
- Type of surgery
- Anticipated complexity
- Time taken for the operation
The exact out-of-pocket cost for your particular operation will be provided to you in writing well in advance of the surgery day. Please contact the practice to get specific details.
Estimate cost of weight loss surgery without insurance
The estimated cost of weight loss surgery in Perth is dependent on a variety of factors. On average, the total cost of bariatric surgery with Perth Weight Loss & Surgery is around $20,000 to $25,000 without private health insurance.
For individual bariatric surgeries, the estimated fees are as follows:
- Gastric Bypass/Roux En Y Surgery $23,000 – one of the lowest prices in Perth.
- Gastric Sleeve Surgery $19,000
- Lap Band Removal $11,000
The above fees are inclusive of the hospital stay, surgeon, anaesthetist and surgical assistant.
Anaesthetist Fee
There will be no out-of-pocket expenses for your anaesthetist, provided you have the appropriate level of cover with your private health fund.
If you have appropriate cover, your anaesthetic (only SJOG Midland Hospital) invoice will be billed directly to your health fund as a no-gap arrangement. If you do not have hospital cover, then you will need to contact the anaesthetist for a detailed quote.
General Surgery Operations
For general surgery operations (such as hernia, gallbladder surgery and appendix removal), the fees vary from no out-of-pocket cost to approximately $1,000.
Endoscopy and colonoscopy procedures have no out-of-pocket expenses.
For all general surgery operations, there may be additional costs for pathology and other investigations if required during your stay.
Hospital and Theatre Costs
Please contact your private health fund to find out your hospital excess (if applicable) or any other hospital out-of-pocket expense there may be.
If you do not have private hospital cover, please contact St John of God Midland’s Private Hospital Admissions Team for a detailed self-funded quote.
Surgical Assistant Fee
Can be up to $500 for Gastric Sleeve, SIPS/SADI-S and $800 – Roux En Y Bypass
The Perth Weight Loss & Surgery team can be contacted on:
Telephone: (08) 6155 8822
Email: info@perthweightlosssurgery.com.au
If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Siva Gounder on either (08) 6155 8822 or via email info@perthweightlosssurgery.com.au.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does superannuation cover bariatric surgery?
+ You can apply to your super fund with support from your GP and us to cover the out of pocket fees. Weight loss surgery is usually considered and approved by the super fund as it is an important treatment for obesity. Find out more information here.
Do I need private health insurance?
+ What are the risks of weight loss surgery?
+ -
All major surgery comes with risks, and the risks are different for each patient. During your first appointment, your surgeon will explain your individual risk level.
- Overall the major morbidity risks are under 5%
- Mortality is under 0.5%
What and how much can I eat after surgery?
+ - Depending on the type of surgery the quality of eating varies. With the gastric band there is much more restriction on type of food. With the sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass you will be able to eat most types of food albeit in smaller quantity.
- As you will only be able to eat small quantity of food. Usually an entre size meal will be your main. It is advised that you concentrate mainly on protein intake and daily vitamin supplements.
How long will I be off work?
+ If all goes well most people will return to work in 10 to 14 days. You should be able to drive after 5 days.
What about pregnancy and weight loss surgery?
+ - Fertility increases after surgery. Birth control pills are not very reliable during the time your weight is changing. For this reason, having an IUD or using condoms and spermicide with ALL intercourse is recommended.
- Most groups recommend waiting 12-18 months after surgery before getting pregnant.
- Babies born to mothers who have had weight loss surgery have been shown to be slightly smaller in size for gestational age. The good news is that, after surgery, there is much less risk of experiencing problems during pregnancy (gestational diabetes, eclampsia, macrosomia) and during childbirth. There are also fewer miscarriages and stillbirths than in overweight women who have not had surgery and undergone weight loss.
- Children born after mother’s surgery are less at risk of being affected by obesity later, due to activation of certain genes during fetal growth There is also less risk of needing a C section during pregnancy.
For More info see this article on fertility & weight loss surgery
When and why should I consider weight loss surgery?
+ - Surgery is the best long-term treatment for obesity. Its recommended for patients with BMI of more than 40 or more than 35 with comorbidities such as diabetes, high cholesterol and sleep apnoea. It can be also considered for lower BMI with severe diabetes. Patients can expect long term excess weight loss of between 50 to 90% based on type of surgery and compliance.
- Obesity is a disease and large population based studies have shown that it leads to a myriad of problems like diabetes, increased cancer risk, heart disease, sleep apnoea, arthritis and many others. The chances of losing and maintaining a health weight by diet and exercise is 1 in 1,290 for men and 1 in 677 for women with severe obesity.
Which is the best weight loss surgery option?
+ There is no one best surgery. The best operation is determined based on multiple factors and is individualised. After the initial consult and assessing your health and risk factors an appropriate surgery will be determined.
Is the surgery painful?
+ Surgery is done with laparoscopic or key hole technique. The largest cut is usually only 15mm in size. Most patients have very tolerable pain that is well managed with analgesics.
