Treatment guide
Skin removal surgery costs in Australia by procedure (2026)
Procedure-by-procedure costs for skin removal after weight loss in Australia: published surgeon fees, what the hospital and anaesthetist add, where a Medicare item may apply, and worked examples. Every figure is sourced and dated.
Quick answer
Skin removal surgery after weight loss in Australia generally costs somewhere between about $9,000 and $50,000 per operation, and the single biggest factor in what you pay is not the surgeon. It is whether a Medicare item applies and whether your hospital cover includes it. The same arm lift can cost one patient around $11,500 out of pocket and another around $20,000, with the same surgeon, in the same hospital. [10]
This page sets out published prices for each procedure, what the hospital and anaesthetist add on top, and worked examples of how cover changes the total. All prices were checked on 23 September 2026. They are the practices' own published starting prices or ranges, not quotes, and three practices are not a market survey. The only national figure is the government's own data for the abdominal procedure, and it is the best reference point on this page. [1]
How a surgery bill is made up
Four separate parties usually bill you for one operation:
- The surgeon, whose fee is the largest single item and varies most between practices.
- The surgical assistant, often a percentage of the surgeon's fee.
- The anaesthetist, who bills by time, so longer operations cost more.
- The hospital, for theatre time, your bed and nursing. For an overnight or multi-night stay this can rival the surgeon's fee.
If a Medicare item applies, Medicare pays 75% of the schedule fee towards the surgeon, assistant and anaesthetist, and your insurer adds at least the remaining 25% if you are covered. If your hospital cover includes the right category, the insurer also pays most of the hospital bill, less your excess. The Medicare post explains the item criteria in detail.
Two cover details change the numbers more than anything else. The four skin removal items sit in the Weight loss surgery clinical category, which is only compulsory in Gold hospital cover and optional in Silver, Bronze and Basic. [16] [17] And if no Medicare item applies, the surgery is cosmetic for tax purposes and 10% GST is added to every part of the bill, including the anaesthetist. [15]
The national picture: what patients actually paid
The Australian Government's Medical Costs Finder publishes what privately insured patients actually paid for an abdominal lipectomy (abdominoplasty) done for medical reasons. Its 2023-24 figures for all of Australia are the closest thing to a national benchmark on this page. [1]
| 2023-24, privately insured, all of Australia | Typical figure |
|---|---|
| Patients with an out-of-pocket cost | 94% |
| Typical specialists' fees (surgeon, assistant and anaesthetist) | $9,000 |
| Medicare paid | $1,300 |
| Insurer typically paid towards those fees | $640 |
| Typical out-of-pocket cost | $6,900 |
| Range of out-of-pocket costs | $500 to $12,000 |
| Hospital fees, usually covered by the insurer | about $6,900 |
These typical figures are separate medians, so they do not add up exactly. What they show clearly is that even for an operation that meets Medicare criteria, with private cover, almost everyone pays a gap, and the gap is usually several thousand dollars.
It also varies by state. Typical specialists' fees ranged from $7,800 in South Australia to $12,000 in Victoria, and typical out-of-pocket costs from $5,700 in South Australia to $9,500 in Victoria. [1]
| State | Typical specialists' fees | Typical out-of-pocket |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | $11,000 | $8,900 |
| Victoria | $12,000 | $9,500 |
| Queensland | $8,300 | $5,900 |
| Western Australia | $9,400 | $7,900 |
| South Australia | $7,800 | $5,700 |
| Tasmania | $8,600 | $6,900 |
Abdominoplasty after weight loss
What it is. Removal of loose skin and fat from the lower abdomen, usually with the belly button repositioned and often with repair of separated abdominal muscles. After large weight loss it is frequently extended around the flanks, or combined with a vertical cut (a fleur-de-lis pattern) where there is also horizontal excess.
Published prices.
| Source | What is quoted | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Costs Finder, national | Typical out-of-pocket, insured, medical grounds | $6,900 [1] |
| Dr Beldholm, Maitland NSW | Total out-of-pocket, insured and meeting Medicare criteria | from $12,500 [7] |
| Dr Beldholm, Maitland NSW | Total, uninsured | from $24,000 [7] |
| Dr Beldholm, Maitland NSW | Surgeon's fee, full / extended | from $10,990 / from $12,990 [7] |
| Dr Kohout, Sydney | Surgeon's fee, full abdominoplasty with liposuction, muscle repair and pubic lift | $19,990 to $26,990 [13] |
| Breast & Body Clinic, Sydney | Full / extended / fleur-de-lis, after Medicare rebate | from $13,474 / $15,974 / $20,974 [14] |
Hospital and anaesthetist add-ons. Dr Kohout's page says uninsured patients should plan for around $6,000 to $8,000 of hospital costs and an anaesthetist's fee of around $2,900 to $3,500 on top of his fee. [13] Dr Beldholm's totals include both, based on a one-night stay. [7]
Medicare. Item 30177 may apply where its published criteria are met, including a skin condition that has failed three months of treatment. [2] See the Medicare post for what the criteria say. Nothing here tells you whether you meet them.
Worked example. One surgeon's own published figures show what cover is worth: from $12,500 out of pocket for an insured patient meeting the Medicare criteria, against from $24,000 for an uninsured patient, for the same starting operation. That is a difference of around $11,500 before any complexity is added. [7]
Recovery. Typically one or more nights in hospital, drains and compression garments, and several weeks before lifting or exercise. The surgical options guide covers recovery in detail.
Questions to ask. Is my quote for a full, extended or fleur-de-lis operation? Does it include liposuction or muscle repair? How many nights in hospital does it assume?
Apronectomy (panniculectomy)
What it is. Removal of the overhanging apron of lower abdominal skin and fat only, without the full reshaping of an abdominoplasty. It is a shorter operation and is often done when the apron itself causes rashes or gets in the way.
Published prices.
| Source | What is quoted | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Beldholm, Maitland NSW | Total out-of-pocket, insured and meeting Medicare criteria | about $12,000 [8] |
| Dr Beldholm, Maitland NSW | Total, uninsured | about $19,000 to $21,000 [8] |
| Dr Beldholm, Maitland NSW | Surgeon's fee | from $9,990 [8] |
We did not find a second Australian practice publishing an apronectomy price on 23 September 2026. Treat this as one practice's figure, not a typical one.
Medicare. Item 30166, the abdominal wedge excision, may apply where its published criteria are met. [3]
Worked example. At the figures above, cover and Medicare eligibility together are worth somewhere between about $7,000 and $9,000 on this operation. The larger and heavier the apron, the longer the operation, which raises the surgeon's, anaesthetist's and theatre charges together. [8]
Recovery. Usually an overnight stay. [8]
Questions to ask. Is an apronectomy enough for my skin, or would I be back for an abdominoplasty later? Is there a hernia under the apron that changes the operation?
Lower body lift (belt lipectomy)
What it is. Removal of loose skin around the whole lower torso in one operation: abdomen, flanks, back and often outer thighs and buttocks. It is the largest of these operations and is usually reserved for people with circumferential excess after very large weight loss.
Published prices.
| Source | What is quoted | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Beldholm, Maitland NSW | Total out-of-pocket, insured where a Medicare item applies | around $24,500 [9] |
| Dr Beldholm, Maitland NSW | Total, uninsured | around $43,500 [9] |
| Dr Beldholm, Maitland NSW | Surgeon's fee | from $21,990 [9] |
| Dr Kohout, Sydney | Surgeon's fee | $24,990 to $49,990 [13] |
| Breast & Body Clinic, Sydney | Circumferential lower body lift, after Medicare rebate | from $35,737 [14] |
Hospital and anaesthetist add-ons. Dr Kohout's page puts uninsured hospital costs at around $8,000 to $11,000 and the anaesthetist at around $4,000 to $5,500. [13] Dr Beldholm's totals assume a six-hour operation and three nights in hospital. [9]
Medicare. Item 30179, circumferential lipectomy, may apply where its published criteria are met. They include a skin condition that has failed three months of treatment. [5]
Worked example. At one practice's published figures the gap between insured with an item and uninsured is around $19,000. Where no item applies at all, GST is added to every component, which on a bill of this size is several thousand dollars more. [9] [15]
Recovery. Multiple nights in hospital and a longer recovery than any single-area operation. Complications are also more likely after large weight loss: a meta-analysis found around a 60% higher risk of complications from body contouring in people who had lost weight through bariatric surgery than in people who had not. [18] That is worth weighing alongside the cost.
Questions to ask. Should this be one operation or staged? How many nights in hospital, and is the quote for all of them?
Arm lift (brachioplasty)
What it is. Removal of loose skin from the underside of the upper arm, usually through an incision from the armpit to the elbow. An extended version continues into the armpit and down the side of the chest.
Published prices.
| Source | What is quoted | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Beldholm, Maitland NSW | Total out-of-pocket, with Medicare eligibility and cover | around $11,500 [10] |
| Dr Beldholm, Maitland NSW | Total, uninsured | around $20,000 [10] |
| Dr Beldholm, Maitland NSW | Surgeon's fee, standard | from $9,990 [10] |
| Dr Kohout, Sydney | Surgeon's fee | $11,990 to $19,990 [13] |
| Breast & Body Clinic, Sydney | After Medicare rebate | from $9,280 [14] |
Hospital and anaesthetist add-ons. Dr Kohout's page puts uninsured hospital costs at around $3,000 and the anaesthetist at around $1,500 to $2,000. [13] Dr Beldholm quotes the standard operation as a day procedure. [10]
Medicare. Item 30169, which covers one or two non-abdominal areas, may apply where its published criteria are met. [4]
Worked example. The same surgeon's published figures put the difference at around $8,500: around $11,500 with Medicare eligibility and cover against around $20,000 without. [10]
Recovery. Often a day procedure. [10] The scar runs along the inner arm, from the armpit towards the elbow.
Questions to ask. Where exactly will the scar sit? Does my skin excess extend into the armpit or chest wall, needing an extended operation?
Thigh lift (thighplasty)
What it is. Removal of loose skin from the inner thigh. A limited version uses a groin incision; a full version adds a vertical incision down the inner thigh, often in a T shape, and is more common after large weight loss.
Published prices.
| Source | What is quoted | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Beldholm, Maitland NSW | Total out-of-pocket, with Medicare and fund cover | usually around $16,000 [11] |
| Dr Beldholm, Maitland NSW | Total, uninsured | usually around $27,000 [11] |
| Dr Beldholm, Maitland NSW | Surgeon's fee, full T-incision with liposuction | $13,990 [11] |
| Dr Kohout, Sydney | Surgeon's fee | $19,990 to $45,990 [13] |
| Breast & Body Clinic, Sydney | Groin scar / vertical scar, after Medicare rebate | from $9,280 / from $16,780 [14] |
Hospital and anaesthetist add-ons. Dr Kohout's page puts uninsured costs at around $7,000 on top of his fee, with the anaesthetist at around $3,000 to $4,000. [13]
Medicare. Item 30169 may apply where its published criteria are met. [4]
Worked example. At one practice, cover and Medicare eligibility are worth around $11,000 on this operation: around $16,000 against around $27,000. [11] Note how wide the published surgeon fees are between practices, from under $10,000 to over $45,000 depending on the extent of the operation.
Recovery. Ask how long your surgeon expects before you can walk comfortably, drive and return to work. It varies with whether a vertical incision is needed.
Questions to ask. Do I need a groin incision only, or a vertical incision too? Is liposuction included or extra?
Breast lift (mastopexy)
What it is. Repositioning the nipple and reducing the skin envelope so the breast sits higher. After large weight loss the excess often wraps around to the side of the chest.
Published prices.
| Source | What is quoted | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Beldholm, Maitland NSW | Total out-of-pocket under item 45558, with cover | approximately $14,500 [12] |
| Dr Beldholm, Maitland NSW | Cosmetic lift, total including GST | approximately $22,500 [12] |
| Dr Beldholm, Maitland NSW | Surgeon's fee, under 45558 / cosmetic including GST | from $12,990 / $9,889 [12] |
| Breast & Body Clinic, Sydney | Mastopexy or reduction, after Medicare rebate | from $13,095 [14] |
Medicare. Item 45558 may apply where at least two-thirds of the breast tissue, including the nipple, sits below the fold under the breast, with documented photographs. [6] It sits in the Breast surgery (medically necessary) category, which unlike the Weight loss surgery category is included from Bronze hospital cover upwards. [16] [17]
Worked example. This is the clearest published illustration of GST. One surgeon quotes a shorter cosmetic lift at around $22,500 in total, including GST, and the larger item 45558 operation at around $14,500 out of pocket with cover. The bigger operation costs the patient less because Medicare and the fund contribute and no GST applies. [12] [15]
Recovery. Usually a day stay. [12]
Questions to ask. Which version of the operation am I having, and does item 45558 apply? Is the side-of-chest excess included?
What pushes a quote up
Across every published price above, the same factors move the figure upwards: a higher BMI, which lengthens the operation and raises the complication rate; adding liposuction, muscle repair or hernia repair; longer hospital stays; combining procedures in one operation; and revision of earlier surgery. [7] [8] Where two items are claimed in one operation, the Medicare multiple operation rule reduces the schedule fee for the second and later items, so the contributions do not simply add up.
Using these numbers
Use this page to sanity-check a quote, not to negotiate one. A quote well below the ranges here is worth asking about: what is excluded, how long the operation is, and who is performing it. A quote well above is worth asking about too, and sometimes it reflects a longer, more thorough operation or a surgeon with deep experience in post-weight-loss cases.
Ask every party for a written quote: surgeon, assistant, anaesthetist and hospital. Ask your insurer, with the item numbers, what your policy pays and whether you are past any waiting period. Then compare total out-of-pocket costs, not surgeon's fees. The how to choose a clinic checklist and the printable appointment notes help with both steps.
Frequently asked questions
Published prices run from around $9,000 for a single-area operation to $50,000 or more for a lower body lift without cover. Government data for the abdominal procedure shows privately insured patients who met Medicare criteria typically paid about $6,900 out of pocket in 2023-24, with a range of $500 to $12,000.
Three things: whether a Medicare item applies, whether your hospital cover includes the right clinical category, and whether GST is added. One surgeon's published figures show an arm lift at around $11,500 with Medicare eligibility and cover and around $20,000 without, for the same operation.
Only if your policy includes the Weight loss surgery clinical category, where the skin removal items sit. It is compulsory only in Gold hospital cover. Breast lift under item 45558 sits in Breast surgery, which is included from Bronze upwards.
Not when a Medicare benefit is payable. When no Medicare item applies and the surgery is cosmetic, 10% GST applies to every part of the bill, including the anaesthetist, according to the Australian Taxation Office.
Prices are the practices' own published figures and government data, checked on 23 September 2026. They are not quotes, they change, and three practices are not a survey of the market. Nothing on this page is advice about your eligibility for Medicare or insurance benefits.
Continue
Sources cited
- Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. Medical Costs Finder: Abdominal lipectomy (abdominoplasty), in-hospital, all of Australia, 2023-24 data. Checked 23 September 2026.
- Australian Government, MBS Online. Item 30177. Checked 23 September 2026.
- Australian Government, MBS Online. Item 30166. Checked 23 September 2026.
- Australian Government, MBS Online. Item 30169. Checked 23 September 2026.
- Australian Government, MBS Online. Item 30179. Checked 23 September 2026.
- Australian Government, MBS Online. Item 45558. Checked 23 September 2026.
- Dr Bernard Beldholm, FRACS specialist surgeon, Maitland NSW. Abdominoplasty cost after weight loss. Checked 23 September 2026.
- Dr Bernard Beldholm. Apronectomy (panniculectomy) cost after weight loss. Checked 23 September 2026.
- Dr Bernard Beldholm. Belt lipectomy (body lift) cost. Checked 23 September 2026.
- Dr Bernard Beldholm. Brachioplasty (arm lift) cost. Checked 23 September 2026.
- Dr Bernard Beldholm. Thighplasty (thigh lift) cost. Checked 23 September 2026.
- Dr Bernard Beldholm. Breast lift (mastopexy) cost. Checked 23 September 2026.
- Dr Mark Kohout, specialist plastic surgeon, Sydney and Orange NSW. Body surgery pricing. Checked 23 September 2026.
- Breast & Body Clinic (Dr Michael Yunaev, specialist breast and general surgeon), Sydney. Cosmetic surgery prices. Checked 23 September 2026.
- Australian Taxation Office. GST and medical services: cosmetic procedures where no Medicare benefit is payable are not GST-free.
- Australian Government, privatehealth.gov.au. Product tiers: clinical categories required in Gold, Silver, Bronze and Basic hospital cover.
- Australian Government Department of Health. Private health insurance clinical category definitions, 1 March 2025.
- Hasanbegovic E, Sørensen JA. Complications following body contouring surgery after massive weight loss: a meta-analysis. Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, 2014.
Written by
Dan d'Auvergne-Massie· Editor, Skin After Weight Loss
Lost 36kg on a GLP-1 protocol and spent the next two years researching what actually tightens skin after rapid weight loss. Works professionally in the peptide industry. Not a doctor: every clinical claim on this site is sourced.
Last updated by the editor:
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