Tummy Tuck After Weight Loss: Cost in Australia (2026)
The Australian Government's 2023-24 data puts typical out-of-pocket costs for privately insured abdominal lipectomy at $6,900 for medical procedures. Published private fees vary: one Melbourne practice lists a $15,015 surgeon fee for abdominoplasty, while Maitland and Sydney practices publish surgeon fees and totals with different inclusions.
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 | $15,015 surgeon fee | Published abdominoplasty surgeon fee; the source notes GST may apply.Clinic source |
| Dr Bernard BeldholmMaitland, NSW | From $10,990 surgeon fee; from $12,500 insured total or $24,000 uninsured total | Published figures include the procedure scope stated by the practice; insured total assumes Medicare criteria and private cover.Clinic source |
| Dr Mark KohoutSydney, NSW | $19,990 to $26,990 surgeon fee | Full abdominoplasty with liposuction, muscle repair and pubic lift; hospital and anaesthetist charges are separate.Clinic source |
| Breast & Body ClinicSydney, NSW | From $13,474 to $20,974 after Medicare rebate | Published prices for full, extended and fleur-de-lis procedures after rebate.Clinic source |
Hospital and anaesthetist add-ons
The published Melbourne surgeon fee does not include hospital charges, and the source notes that GST may apply. The Sydney surgeon's page gives hospital estimates of around $6,000 to $8,000 and anaesthetist fees around $2,900 to $3,500 for uninsured patients. Another source publishes an insured and an uninsured total; confirm which elements are included in any estimate.
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 items 30177 and 30166
Item 30177 relates to lipectomy with radical abdominoplasty after significant weight loss; its criteria include a qualifying skin condition, failed conventional treatment and stable weight. Item 30166 concerns abdominal wedge excision where its criteria are met. A routine cosmetic tummy tuck is not automatically eligible, and the specific procedure and circumstances matter. 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
One Maitland practice publishes an insured total from $12,500 when Medicare criteria are met and an uninsured total from $24,000 for its starting operation. Those estimates are not the same as a surgeon-only fee, and they do not predict another person's quote. Compare the operation scope, hospital stay, anaesthetist and cover assumptions in writing.
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 surgeon fees and totals differ. One Melbourne practice publishes a $15,015 surgeon fee, while the other examples shown here use different scopes and may include a rebate or other costs. Ask for an itemised estimate.
MBS item 30177 may apply to a qualifying radical abdominoplasty after significant weight loss, and item 30166 may apply to some abdominal wedge excisions. Your surgeon must assess the operation against the current item criteria.
It may leave out the anaesthetist, surgical assistant, hospital, theatre, garments and follow-up. Ask which are included and whether GST applies.
An abdominoplasty can remove lower abdominal skin and reshape the abdomen. An apronectomy removes the overhanging apron of skin and fat. The operation and Medicare item depend on the clinical situation.
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: