Abdominoplasty may attract Medicare item numbers when performed for documented functional indications. Eligibility is assessed at consultation and requires clinical documentation.

• Item 30166: Removal of redundant abdominal skin and lipectomy as a wedge excision (panniculectomy) — applicable for functional problems following significant weight loss of at least 5 BMI points, with stable weight for at least 6 months prior to surgery. This item covers a simpler panniculectomy (wedge excision of the skin overhang) rather than a full radical abdominoplasty with umbilical transposition. Cannot be claimed together with Items 30175, 30176, 30177 or the bariatric body contouring items.

• Item 30175: Radical abdominoplasty with repair of rectus diastasis, skin excision and umbilical transposition — applicable where the patient has an abdominal wall defect as a consequence of pregnancy, with a diastasis of at least 3 cm confirmed by diagnostic imaging, and either moderate-to-severe pain at the diastasis site during functional activity or low back pain/urinary symptoms attributable to rectus diastasis. The patient must have failed non-surgical conservative treatment including physiotherapy, and must not have been pregnant in the last 12 months. Applicable only once per lifetime.
• Item 30177: Lipectomy and radical abdominoplasty — applicable where redundant abdominal skin and fat is a direct consequence of significant weight loss (at least 5 BMI points), and the skin condition (intertrigo or a condition risking loss of skin integrity) has failed 3 months of conventional treatment, the skin excess interferes with activities of daily living, and weight has been stable for at least 6 months. This item covers standard, extended and Fleur de Lis abdominoplasty performed after significant weight loss. Cannot be claimed together with Items 30166, 30175, 30176 or 30179.

• Item 30179: Circumferential lipectomy — applicable for circumferential excess of redundant skin and fat that is a direct consequence of significant weight loss, meeting the same criteria as Item 30177 (intertrigo failing 3 months conservative treatment, interference with daily living, stable weight ≥6 months). This item applies to circumferential abdominoplasty / body lift surgery. Cannot be claimed together with Items 30175, 30176 or 30177.

These items are mutually exclusive — only one abdominal lipectomy item can be claimed per procedure. Item 30166 is for a simpler panniculectomy only. Items 30175, 30177, and 30179 are for different clinical scenarios (post-pregnancy diastasis, post-weight-loss radical abdominoplasty, and circumferential body lift respectively). The applicable item will be determined at consultation based on your clinical history, imaging findings, and the planned procedure.

Lorem

• Ipsum
• Dolor

All surgeon fees include the surgical assistant fee.

If you hold private health insurance, we recommend contacting your health fund before booking to confirm:

• Your level of cover for the relevant item number(s)
• Whether your policy has any applicable waiting periods
• Your excess and any co-payment amounts
• Whether pre-authorisation is required

Even if your procedure is eligible for health fund cover, it is important to understand that out-of-pocket costs are still significant. In most cases, private health insurance primarily contributes to hospital-related costs. You may also receive rebates from Medicare and your health fund towards the surgeon’s and anaesthetist’s fees; however, these rebates are limited in comparison to the overall specialist fees.

Dr Cameron will consult with you to determine whether you are medically indicated and advise on the relevant item number for your procedure for you to confirm with your health fund. Our team will provide a formal personalised quote detailing all expected out-of-pocket costs before you commit to surgery.

We understand that navigating the financial aspects of surgery can feel overwhelming. Our aim is to provide clarity and transparency around the costs involved.

Medicare sets a Benefits Schedule (MBS) fee for surgical procedures. However, the MBS fee has not kept pace with the actual costs of delivering specialist plastic surgery care. Medicare reimburses 75% of the MBS fee for in-hospital procedures, and your private health fund typically contributes an additional 25% — together covering only a portion of the scheduled fee, not the actual cost of surgery.

Dr Cameron’s surgical fee reflects the complexity of your procedure, operative time, his level of specialist training and experience (FRACS — Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, PhD), consumables, surgical equipment, the surgical assistant fee, and the overhead of running a specialist surgical practice. The difference between what Medicare and your health fund contribute and Dr Cameron’s fee is your out-of-pocket gap, and will be clearly outlined in your personalised quote prior to surgery.

Your final surgical plan must be confirmed before a formal quote can be finalised and your booking secured. Our team will guide you through all costs prior to proceeding.

All surgical quotes are based on the planned procedure. In some cases, additional costs may arise if:

• Unforeseen surgical complexity requires a longer operative time or additional procedures
• Post-operative complications require further treatment, dressings, revision surgery or hospital admission
• Additional pathology, imaging or specialist review is required
• Wound care, compression garments or post-operative support beyond the standard recovery period is needed
• ICU admission or an ICU specialist review is required
• Medications on discharge beyond the standard supply

Where possible, Dr Cameron will discuss any anticipated complexity at your consultation. Our team will contact you promptly if any unexpected costs arise during your care.

Please note that post-operative compression garments are a mandatory part of recovery for most surgical procedures. These are not covered by Medicare or private health insurance and are an additional out-of-pocket cost. Garment costs are listed separately in the cost overview above.