weight loss surgery costs

Weight loss surgery cost & financing

INITIAL CONSULTATION (surgical and bariatric patients)
The initial consultation fee to see Mr Kiron Bhatia is $250 or $190 with a concession or pension card. With a GP referral, you will be eligible for a Medicare rebate.
Dietitian – Initial consultation – $160.00. Dietitian fees are not rebatable through Medicare. Depending on your insurance policy, you may be eligible for a partial rebate from your health fund.
Psychologist – Initial consultation – $210.00. This consultation ensures that our team knows about any psychological concerns that may impact surgery for weight loss and/or behavioural/lifestyle changes necessary for positive outcomes. Rebates may be available through your health fund.

SURGERY FEE FOR GENERAL SURGICAL AND UPPER GI PATIENTS (this does not include patients having bariatric or weight loss procedures)
For insured patients requiring Gastroscopy, Colonoscopy or Cancer-related surgery, Mr Bhatia will directly bill your health fund where possible with no further out of pocket cost.
For all other insured General Surgical patients, Mr Bhatia will directly bill your health fund where possible. An out-of-pocket fee may be payable before surgery. For further information on these fees, please contact our rooms directly on 94576690. Please note there is no out of pocket fee for DVA and concession card holders. For uninsured General Surgical patients, we will provide you with an invoice specific to your procedure.

INSURED PATIENTS – BARIATRIC PROCEDURES HEALTH FUND INFORMATION
Mr Bhatia, our anaesthetist and assistant, will directly bill your Private Health Fund if you have private health insurance.
The hospital will directly bill your health fund for hospital costs. If you have an excess with your health insurance, this will need to be paid directly to the hospital on admission
The remainder Program Fee is a one-off payment that covers your care through HWLS, which includes:
• Surgical gap
• Anaesthetic gap (for most health funds)
• Assistant gap
• All appointments lifelong with Mr Bhatia following surgery will be bulk billed
• Two post-operative dietetic reviews
• Two post-operative psychology review
• Having paid this fee, you will not receive invoices from medical staff related to the surgery (dependant on your health fund)

It is important to note that this fee does NOT cover:
• Hospital costs not covered by your private health fund, ie. Robotic consumables
• Pathology, radiology or other investigative items not covered by your health fund
• Physiotherapy not covered by your health fund
• Specialist fees where the specialist is not directly related to HWLS
• Special post-operative events such as workshops, support groups etc.

BARIATRIC PROCEDURES NOT COVERED UNDER PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE
At Heidelberg Weight Loss Surgery, there are some procedures completed by Mr Kiron Bhatia that do not currently have an item number attached. These include:
• The Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroscopy
• The Gastric Balloon
If you would like an approximate quote for these procedures, please contact our rooms on 94576690.

UNINSURED PATIENTS – BARIATRIC PROCEDURES
As we cannot bill a private health fund for part of your fee, the amount as an uninsured patient is higher for Mr Bhatia’s services. This Out-of-Pocket fee is a one-off payment that covers your care through HWLS, which includes:
• Surgical fee
• Assistant fee
• All appointments lifelong with Mr Bhatia following surgery will be bulk billed
• Two post-operative dietetic reviews
• Two post-operative psychology reviews
• Having paid this fee, you will not receive invoices from medical staff related to the surgery.
It is important to note that this fee does NOT cover:
• Anaesthetist cost. Your anaesthetist will provide you with a quote for their services, which must be paid before surgery.
• Hospital costs. We will obtain an estimate from your hospital on your behalf. This is payable to the hospital on admission.
• Pathology, radiology or other investigative items not covered by your hospital costs.
• Specialist fees where the specialist is not directly related to HWLS
• Special post-operative events such as workshops, support groups etc.
It is important to understand that if complications occur or a prolonged stay in hospital is required, this will incur further costs payable by you. For this reason, if your surgery is considered high risk, we strongly recommend that you consider insurance and wait the qualifying period
It is important that you understand that if you were to require future hospitalisation or surgery, you would be liable for all hospital, pathology, radiology, consultation and service fees. We do not, however, charge the program fee again.
An estimate for total costs, including hospital and band prosthesis, can be provided at your request.

ARE YOU COVERED FOR BARIATRIC SURGERY? | MEDICARE ITEM NUMBERS
You must check with your health fund and ensure you are covered for the appropriate procedure. We recommend you contact your health fund and ask if you are covered for the following specific item numbers:
• The Laparoscopic Gastric Band item number is 31569.
• The Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy item number is 31575.
• The Gastric Bypass item number is 31572.

PAYMENT PLANS

We do not offer any payment plans; however, we can refer you to companies that offer financial services.

ACCESSING SUPERANNUATION AS PAYMENT
If you would like to access your Superannuation to pay for your surgery, we can provide documentation to support the claim as is reasonable and defensible on medical grounds.
The date of surgery will not be determined until documentation is provided with the approval of fund release.

For more information, call our team today on: 03 9457 6690