Liposuction for lipoedema is increasingly recognised as a medically indicated procedure. Medicare item number eligibility depends on the specific technique used, the stage of lipoedema, and documented failure of conservative management.

• Liposuction items: Liposuction — may apply for lipoedema-specific liposuction where the diagnosis is confirmed, conservative management (compression therapy, manual lymphatic drainage, physiotherapy) has been trialled and documented, and the procedure is performed by a qualified plastic surgeon. Eligibility criteria and applicable item numbers continue to evolve as Medicare review of lipoedema treatment progresses. Dr Cameron will advise on the current applicable item numbers and criteria at your consultation.
• Dermatolipectomy (skin excision, if required): Where skin excess develops following volume reduction or is present at the time of surgery, thigh lift or lower leg skin excision may attract Item 30169 (removal of redundant non-abdominal skin and lipectomy, 1 or 2 non-abdominal areas) if the post-weight-loss criteria are met — specifically, loss of at least 5 BMI points with stable weight for at least 6 months prior to surgery.

Given the evolving Medicare landscape for lipoedema treatment, we strongly recommend discussing your individual circumstances with Dr Cameron and contacting your health fund to confirm applicable cover prior to booking.

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All surgeon fees include the surgical assistant fee. Prices are indicative — a formal quote will be provided once your surgical plan is confirmed.

Note: Lipoedema surgery typically requires multiple stages to treat all affected areas. Each stage is quoted separately. Compression therapy must be continued long-term following surgery as part of ongoing lipoedema management.

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.