Extended Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) Cost After Pregnancy in Newcastle NSW
An extended abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) after pregnancy is billed in 1 of 2 ways. Where diastasis recti repair is performed and Medicare item 30175 applies, the operation is GST-free and Medicare and your health fund contribute. Where no item applies, the operation is cosmetic and 10% GST is added to every fee. Which applies to you is assessed at consultation.
My surgical fee starts at $14,990 for the least complex cases. That is my fee only. If the operation is cosmetic, 10% GST is added, making my fee $16,489. The anaesthetist and Maitland Private Hospital bill separately and set their own charges. The least complex case means a normal BMI, removal of excess skin extending past the hip bones with ultrasound-assisted suction lipectomy (VASER liposuction) as part of the same operation, no hernia repair, no additional procedures, and 2 nights in hospital.
For a 4.5 hour operation with 2 nights in hospital, the approximate totals are:
- Medicare item 30175 applies: around $17,000 out of pocket with private hospital cover, or around $31,500 without cover.
- Cosmetic, no item: around $36,500 including GST.
You receive an individual written quote after consultation.
What makes the operation extended is the incision. A full abdominoplasty runs from hip bone to hip bone. An extended abdominoplasty continues past the hip bones towards the lateral hip, taking in loose skin at the sides of the waist as well as the front. Which operation applies to you is decided at consultation.
I am Dr Bernard Beldholm M.B.B.S B.Sc(Med) FRACS, Specialist Surgeon. I operate at Maitland Private Hospital in the Hunter Valley and see patients from Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens, the Central Coast and regional NSW.
This page covers the cost of extended abdominoplasty after pregnancy. Extended abdominoplasty after significant weight loss is covered on a separate page.
Book your appointment online now
What my fee includes
A second consultation at no cost
Including review of your blood results. This can be done remotely.
All follow-up after surgery
The first 2 weeks are intensive, then I review you at 4 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months.
Your compression garment
What makes up your total cost
My surgical fee
Covers the extended skin excision, ultrasound-assisted suction lipectomy (VASER liposuction) as part of the same operation, and diastasis recti repair where it is performed.
Anaesthetist’s fee
Billed separately. The anaesthetic consultation is by phone in most cases. An extended abdominoplasty runs longer than a full abdominoplasty, so this fee is higher.
Hospital and theatre fees at Maitland Private
The longer incision means more theatre time, and this operation usually involves 2 nights in hospital rather than 1. Those 2 factors, with the higher surgical fee, account for most of the difference in total between the full and extended operations.
Drains
Most extended abdominoplasties after pregnancy are done without drains. Where there is a large amount of loose skin, I use them, and the hospital charges for them.
Changes that move the quote
Hernia repair and any additional procedures add to the fee and to the operating time. Diastasis recti repair does not change my fee but does change whether Medicare item 30175 can apply.
Medicare and health funds
Medicare item 30175 covers abdominoplasty with diastasis recti repair after pregnancy. Whether you meet the criteria is assessed at consultation and cannot be self-assessed. Items 30177 and 30166 are weight loss items and do not apply after pregnancy unless the weight loss criteria are also met.
Where item 30175 applies, Medicare and your health fund contribute to my fee and the anaesthetist’s fee, and the fund covers the hospital and theatre charges according to your policy, level of cover and excess.
Where no item applies, 10% GST is added to the surgical, anaesthetist and hospital fees, the hospital charges a higher rate for cosmetic theatre time, and there is no Medicare or health fund contribution.
Revision surgery, if ever needed, is charged depending on your insurance position; this is covered in the full cost guide.
The full post pregnancy abdominoplasty cost guide explains the item 30175 criteria, health fund tiers and worked examples in detail.
Book your appointment online now
Your next step
A GP referral is required before your consultation. Consultations are held at my rooms in Maitland. Telehealth is available for patients in regional NSW who cannot travel for the first appointment, with examination at a later in-person visit.