Lower Body Lift Cost in Australia (2026): Surgeon Fees
Published Australian surgeon fees for lower body lift surgery range from $21,990 at one Maitland practice to $49,990 at the top of one Sydney surgeon's published range. A Melbourne surgeon publishes a $25,410 surgeon fee, with anaesthetist and hospital charges separate. These figures cover different things, so they are not directly comparable.
Published surgeon fees
These are figures published by the named practices, checked on 20 October 2026. A surgeon fee is not the same as the total cost of an operation. The sources describe different inclusions, cover status and operation scope, so the prices should not be ranked or treated as directly equivalent.
| Practice | Published fee | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Re. Plastic SurgeryToorak, Melbourne | $25,410 surgeon fee | Surgeon's fee; the practice lists $4,070 for an anaesthetist and hospital fees separately.Clinic source |
| Dr Bernard BeldholmMaitland, NSW | From $21,990 surgeon fee; about $24,500 insured total or $43,500 uninsured total | Published estimates assume a six-hour operation and three hospital nights for the total figures.Clinic source |
| Dr Mark KohoutSydney, NSW | $24,990 to $49,990 surgeon fee | Surgeon fee range; the hub lists hospital and anaesthetist costs separately.Clinic source |
| Breast & Body ClinicSydney, NSW | From $35,737 after Medicare rebate | Circumferential lower body lift price shown after the Medicare rebate.Clinic source |
Hospital and anaesthetist add-ons
One Melbourne practice publishes $4,070 for the anaesthetist and says hospital fees are additional. The Sydney surgeon's published estimates in the hub put uninsured hospital costs around $8,000 to $11,000 and anaesthetist fees around $4,000 to $5,500. The Maitland practice's totals assume a six-hour operation and three nights in hospital.
Ask each provider for a written itemised estimate that says whether the surgeon, assistant, anaesthetist, hospital, garment, follow-up and GST are included. For private inpatient surgery, check the relevant hospital cover category, excess and waiting periods with your insurer.
Medicare item 30179 and its criteria
Item 30179 is for circumferential lipectomy after significant weight loss. The criteria stated in the cost guide include a skin condition that has failed three months of conventional treatment, a period of stable weight, and the required amount of weight loss. The item wording and clinical facts determine whether it applies; a belt lipectomy is not automatically eligible. The item criteria and your eligibility are assessed by your treating team. A Medicare rebate does not equal 75% of a private surgeon's bill. See the Medicare skin removal surgery guide for the item wording and private cover context.
A worked example
At the Maitland practice's published estimates, the insured total when an item applies is about $24,500 and the uninsured total is about $43,500, a difference of about $19,000. These are that practice's estimates for its stated operation and hospital stay, not a general saving or a quote for another patient.
How published fees differ
The practices in this index do not all quote the same thing. Some publish a surgeon's fee with anaesthetist and hospital charges separately. Others show a range or a total after a Medicare rebate. One Maitland source publishes insured and uninsured totals as well as a surgeon fee. Compare like with like and check what each figure includes.
Questions to take to a consultation
- What operation and incision pattern does this fee cover?
- Is the amount a surgeon fee or a whole-of-hospital estimate?
- What changes if the procedure is staged or combined with another operation?
- Which Medicare item might apply, and which criteria remain to be met?
Frequently asked questions
Published figures differ by practice and by what the fee includes. The sources listed here range from a $21,990 surgeon fee to a $49,990 top-end surgeon fee. Hospital, anaesthetist and cover arrangements can change the total.
MBS item 30179 may apply when its criteria are met. A surgeon assesses the clinical facts against the item. A Medicare benefit is based on the schedule fee, not the full private bill.
The published Melbourne practice lists a surgeon fee, anaesthetist fee and hospital fees separately. Ask for an itemised estimate for the operation and expected hospital stay.
Only after checking the operation scope and what each figure includes. A surgeon fee, an insured total and a price after Medicare rebate are different measures.
Read the surgical options guide for procedure descriptions and recovery context.
Written by
Dan d'Auvergne-Massie· Editor, Skin After Weight Loss
Lost 36kg while on a prescription GLP-1 medicine and spent the next two years researching what actually tightens skin after rapid weight loss. Runs a small findability agency and previously worked in health technology. Not a doctor: every clinical claim on this site is sourced.
Last updated by the editor: