Health insurance for weight loss surgery
Health insurance for weight loss surgery comes with a 12-month waiting period, so it's worth getting sooner rather than later.
What different scores mean
9+
Excellent
These products offer a balance between low pricing and more features.
7+
Great
Competitive products within their group.
5+
Standard
Usually these products would either have fewer treatments covered or higher pricing.
0+
Basic
Offering basic cover with limited features or higher pricing.
Key takeaways
- Weight loss surgery is covered by all gold-tier hospital policies.
- The cheapest policies start from around $61 a week.
- Without health insurance, weight loss surgery can cost $20,000 or more.
Health insurance that covers weight loss surgery
Here are a few policies that cover weight loss surgery. All prices are based on a single individual with less than $97,000 income and living in Sydney.
1 - 10 of 10
Finder Score - Hospital cover health insurance
Each month we analyse our hospital insurance products and rate each one on price and features. What we end up with is a nice round number out of 10 that helps you compare hospital cover a bit faster.
Before we start scoring, we need to make sure we're comparing like-for-like. Just as it doesn't make sense to compare a bicycle with a Ferrari, it doesn't make sense to compare basic hospital policies to top-tier Gold policies. Each policy is given a price score and feature score. These are then combined to determine each policies's Finder Score.
Read the full Finder Score methodology
What weight loss surgeries are available?
If a physician recommends weight loss surgery, it will usually be one of the following types.
Lap band (also called gastric banding)
This is where the surgeon wraps a silicone band around the top portion of your stomach, reducing the amount you can fit in your stomach.
Sleeve gastrectomy
This is where the surgeon reduces the size of your stomach by permanently removing a section of it. Like the lap band, this causes you to feel full quicker and eat less.
Gastric bypass
This is where the surgeon divides your stomach into 2 sections, then connects your small intestine to the smaller of the new stomach sections. This helps you to eat less, absorb fewer calories and react negatively to sugar.
Duodenal switch
The surgeon removes a section of the stomach (as they would with a sleeve gastrectomy) and then relocates the bottom of the stomach further down the small intestine. Like the gastric bypass, this procedure causes you to eat less and absorb fewer calories.
Liposuction
In this procedure, the surgeon puts a small tube into your body and sucks the fat out with a vacuum. Liposuction doesn't affect your appetite.
How much does weight loss surgery cost without insurance?
Weight loss surgery costs without insurance differ depending on how much the surgeon, anaesthetist and assistant charges, pathology costs and the type of procedure you undergo. Here's an overview of surgery costs in Australia based on a number of health providers we looked at.
| Surgery | Cost |
|---|---|
| Gastric/Lap band | $10,000 - $20,000 |
| Sleeve gastrectomy | $20,000 - $25,000 |
| Gastric bypass | $14,000 - $18,000 |
| Duodenal switch | $29,000 - $55,000 (average ~$33,000) |
To help lower these costs, make sure you get the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) number for the type of surgery you require. Don't expect it to significantly lower the costs, though. For example, Item 31575 (sleeve gastrectomy) pays a $663 benefit. Some useful item numbers for weight loss surgery are outlined below.
See MBS item numbers for weight loss surgery
| Surgery | MBS item number |
|---|---|
| Gastric/lap band | 31569 |
| Sleeve gastrectomy | 31575 |
| Gastric bypass | 31572 |
| Duodenal switch | 31581 |
| Reversal of gastric banding/lap band | 31584 |
Can anyone get weight loss surgery?
No, it's not always possible for anyone to get weight loss surgery. This is because it's not always the best course of action for everyone. It also depends on whether you receive treatment through the public system or privately.
Medicare
To be eligible for treatment in the public system (Medicare), you need to have a body mass index (BMI) of at least 35, demonstrate that you've failed using other approaches and you'll have to undergo a psychological evaluation. You'll also have to find a public hospital that will do this sort of treatment, and there are only a few in Australia.
Private health
Private health insurers will require you to have a face-to-face consultation with a physician to determine if the surgery is necessary, and some insurers require you to have a BMI above a specific number. However, these requirements are less restrictive than Medicare and you will have more choice of hospitals.
Cover for weight loss surgery vs weight management
Cover for weight loss surgery
You'll only find health insurance for weight loss surgery with a gold-tier hospital policy. If you're not already on one, you'll want to get on one soon because there will be a waiting period, usually around 12 months.
Cover for weight management
Many extras policies cover weight management programs such as fitness classes, money off gym memberships and nutritional consulting programs such as WW (previously Weight Watchers) and Jenny Craig. This can give you a chance to learn new wellness habits pre-surgery or, in some cases, avoid having surgery altogether. Waiting periods are a lot shorter – usually around 2 months.
How much does health insurance cost?
We ask hundreds of Australians what they're paying for health insurance every month. Here's what their bill looked like in February 2025.- Extras only: $45
- Basic: $101
- Bronze: $141
- Silver: $188
- Gold: $242
FAQs
More resources on Finder
More guides on Finder
-
Weight loss surgery cost
Weight loss surgery tends to cost between $11,000 and $15,000 - but it can get way more expensive than that.
-
Bronze health insurance
What is covered by the third-highest tier of hospital insurance policies?
-
Gold health insurance
Gold hospital insurance is the most comprehensive hospital cover that money can buy – starting from around $57 per week.
-
Health insurance tiers
Find out what health insurance tiers mean and how much you’ll pay.
-
How much does an MRI cost?
How much does it cost to have an MRI and how much of that expense is covered by Medicare and private health insurance? Find out here.
-
Joint replacement health insurance
Want health insurance cover for knee replacements, hip replacements and other joint replacements? Here’s how to find the right policy.
-
What is excess in health insurance?
Find the answers to the most common questions about health cover excesses in this helpful guide.
-
Basic hospital cover
Read our guide to see what is covered by Basic hospital policies in Australia.
-
Health insurance for insulin pumps
Insulin pumps are covered under all gold hospital policies, as well as on some Silver Plus policies. The details do differ between funds, however.