Hospital waiting times in the public system are getting longer largely due to COVID restrictions – but you have other options.
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*Prices updated November 2024, in line with Finder's database of health insurance policies. Prices reflect the cheapest available for a single individual with less than $97,000 income and living in Sydney with a $750 excess.
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Hospital waiting times for elective surgery are longer in the public system compared to private.
The average public hospital waiting time was 43 days during 2022–23.
Hospital waiting times for many procedures increased between 2021–22 and 2022-23.
Which treatments have the longest waiting lists?
Of the 15 most common surgeries in Australia during 2022–23, the longest waiting times in public hospitals were for:
Total knee replacement
308 days
Total hip replacement
175 days
Tonsillectomy
174 days
Here's a breakdown of the longest median waiting times for specific treatments in Australia over the past 5 years:
Treatment
2018–19
2019–20
2020–21
2021–22
2022–23
Cataract extraction
84 days
98 days
172 days
158 days
133 days
Cystoscopy
24 days
23 days
26 days
24 days
26 days
Skin lesion
25 days
24 days
25 days
23 days
26 days
Hysteroscopy
27 days
28 days
29 days
27 days
28 days
Cholecystectomy
45 days
48 days
56 days
53 days
59 days
Total knee replacement
209 days
223 days
308 days
293 days
308 days
Inguinal herniorrhaphy
59 days
67 days
76 days
77 days
82 days
Tonsillectomy
125 days
130 days
253 days
168 days
174 days
Total hip replacement
119 days
120 days
179 days
153 days
175 days
Breast lump
16 days
16 days
16 days
16 days
17 days
Herniorrhaphy
69 days
78 days
92 days
97 days
108 days
Prostate biopsy
29 days
28 days
29 days
28 days
30 days
Laparoscopy
57 days
64 days
79 days
78 days
82 days
Arthroscopy
75 days
76 days
89 days
85 days
86 days
Carpal tunnel release
62 days
70 days
80 days
82 days
83 days
Public hospital waiting times from state to state
Public hospital waiting lists in New South Wales were the longest (69 days).
Public hospital waiting times in NT (29 days) were the shortest.
Public hospital waiting lists in NSW were almost double the length of Victoria.
State
Days waited at the 50th percentile
Public hospital waiting times in ACT
49 days
Public hospital waiting times in NSW
69 days
Public hospital waiting times in NT
29 days
Public hospital waiting times in QLD
40 days
Public hospital waiting times in SA
49 days
Public hospital waiting times in TAS
53 days
Public hospital waiting times in VIC
36 days
Public hospital waiting times in WA
51 days
Days waited at the 50th percentile means the time within which 50% of patients were admitted for the awaited procedure.
How do surgery hospital waiting lists work for public vs private patients?
Public hospitals
Public hospitals are often very busy, so they need to prioritise treatment in order of urgency.
You only need to go onto a waiting list for elective surgery (a procedure that isn't considered an emergency) such as cataract surgery or hip replacement.
If you choose to go through Medicare, you can access free or low-cost hospital care. Your elective surgery can be booked once you've received a specialist medical assessment. After the doctor has confirmed that you need surgery, you'll be placed on a waiting list.
Private hospitals
Private hospitals do have waiting lists for elective surgeries, but they're shorter than public waiting lists, on average. Private hospitals also allow you to choose the doctor you want and offer more flexibility on when you're treated, plus you can often get your own room.
The catch? Unlike Medicare, it's not free. You'll need a hospital insurance policy and if it's a pre-existing condition you want treatment for, like a bad knee, you'll need to have a policy for 12 months before you're covered.
Can wait times be waived if I'm a public patient?
Sometimes, wait times can be waived if you're a public patient, but only if your condition worsens and is considered an emergency. In most cases, the specialist will decide how urgently your procedure is needed and assign you to a specific urgency category. These are:
Category 1: Surgery recommended within 30 days.
Category 2: Surgery recommended within 90 days.
Category 3: Surgery recommended within 365 days.
What category are you?
You can use My Hospitals to find out how long you will likely have to wait for the surgery you need. If you feel your condition has worsened, contact your specialist and you may be reassigned to a more urgent category.
How can health insurance help me to meet the cost of a private treatment?
Once you've served the waiting periods (2 months for most conditions and 12 months for pre-existing conditions), your private health insurance policy will pay for 25% of the MBS fees associated with your procedure and Medicare will pay for the other 75%.
You may still have out of pocket expenses because doctors and surgeons can charge more than the MBS fee. For many people though, the price is worth it because you can get treated sooner.
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You pay the same price as going direct – we charge no fees.
Depending on your age, you may be eligible for an
aged-based discount. This is used to estimate your
rebate.
Under 65
65 - 69
70 or older
What's your household's taxable income?
This is the combined income you and your spouse earn before tax. It's needed to calculate the correct Australian government rebate.
$93,000 and under
$93,001 to $108,000
$108,001 to $144,000
$144,001 and over
What kind of health insurance do you need?
Combined (Extras + Hospitals)
Extras
Hospital
What level of hospital coverage would you like?
You can change this at any time later.
Legend
Covered
Restricted cover, You may be partially covered for
this category.
Not covered. Optional for insurer to include.
*Prices updated March 2024, in line with Finder's
database of health insurance policies. Prices are based
on a single individual with less than $93,000 income and
living in Sydney with a $750 excess.
What extras cover do you need? (Optional)
Select as many as you want or move to the next step
Preventative & general dental
Major dental & implants
Optical
Physiotherapy
Podiatry
Non-PBS pharmaceuticals
Chiropractic
Emergency ambulance
Remedial massage
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You'll pay the same price as going direct - we don't
charge fees
We don't ask for your phone number to see prices
Hang tight - we're fetching policies just for you!
Comparing quotes from 40+ funds...
Frequently asked questions
The average wait time for elective surgery in a public hospital in Australia was 43 days in 2022–23, according to stats from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
Yes, you will still need to serve a waiting period as a private patient in a public hospital. Being a private patient in a public hospital should not shorten your wait time for surgery.
Of course, private health insurance typically lets you get treated at a private hospital. Because public hospitals are generally much busier than private hospitals, this might be a better option if you want to get treated sooner.
Was this content helpful to you?
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To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Moira Daniels as part of our fact-checking process.
Gary Ross Hunter was an editor at Finder, specialising in insurance. He’s been writing about life, travel, home, car, pet and health insurance for over 6 years and regularly appears as an insurance expert in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian and news.com.au. Gary holds a Kaplan Tier 2 General Advice General Insurance certification which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146). See full bio
Gary Ross's expertise
Gary Ross has written 648 Finder guides across topics including:
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Depending on your age, you may be eligible for an
aged-based discount. This is used to estimate your
rebate.
Under 65
65 - 69
70 or older
What's your household's taxable income?
This is the combined income you and your spouse earn before tax. It's needed to calculate the correct Australian government rebate.
$93,000 and under
$93,001 to $108,000
$108,001 to $144,000
$144,001 and over
What kind of health insurance do you need?
Combined (Extras + Hospitals)
Extras
Hospital
What level of hospital coverage would you like?
You can change this at any time later.
Legend
Covered
Restricted cover, You may be partially covered for
this category.
Not covered. Optional for insurer to include.
*Prices updated March 2024, in line with Finder's
database of health insurance policies. Prices are based
on a single individual with less than $93,000 income and
living in Sydney with a $750 excess.
What extras cover do you need? (Optional)
Select as many as you want or move to the next step
Preventative & general dental
Major dental & implants
Optical
Physiotherapy
Podiatry
Non-PBS pharmaceuticals
Chiropractic
Emergency ambulance
Remedial massage
Email me my results (optional)
To get a copy of your results for later, add your email below
