Self-funded care

Step 1
General practitioner
See your general practitioner (GP) and get a referral to see the specialist of your choice.

Step 2
Book appointment
Book an appointment with your specialist and check that they offer self-funding.

Step 3
Estimates
Request up-front estimates of the costs involved with your treatment.

Step 4
Book surgery
Book your surgery with your specialist.

Step 5
Payment
Choose your payment method and pay your cost estimate prior to admission.

Step 6
After discharge
After discharge, any refunds or additional costs are processed.

Every patient is different but some of the costs involved with treatment in hospital may include:

• the surgeon, surgical assistant, and anaesthetist fees
• general hospital costs (inclusive of nursing care, theatre, accommodation,and any other incidentals)
• medications
• blood tests and diagnostic imaging (x-rays and scans).

You may need to request separate estimates for each of these costs, and make separate payments.

If you hold a valid Medicare card, you may also be entitled to claim some money back. Your specialist and the hospital admissions team will advise before treatment if you are eligible to claim.

There may be some circumstances where the cost of your treatment and care is different to the amount you were estimated and paid upfront prior to admission. This could occur if your needs change during surgery or if you require additional or less time in hospital to recover.

We will outline all expected and potential costs prior to admission. Any additional costs will be discussed with you, including the reasons these costs were incurred and the options for payment. Any adjustments or refunds will be processed after your discharge.

Many specialist doctors offer a self-funding option for patients who don't have health insurance, but it is best to confirm this when you make your initial appointment with your doctor.

For a full list of our specialist doctors visit our Find A Specialist online service.

You may be eligible to pay using:

TLC

• A Patient Funding Platform that can cover medical fees from $2,000 - $50,000, including doctor and specialist, anaesthetist, hospital, after-care and pharmaceutical fees.
• Interest and limits apply. TLC will discuss eligibility based on employment and Centrelink status. Insured and self-funded patients may apply.
• For further information and to get started, visit TLC.