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Gallbladder surgery

Get an overview of the out-of-pocket costs associated with your procedure so you know what to expect.

What is gallbladder surgery 1

The gallbladder is a small organ that sits just above the liver on the right side of your midsection. It collects and stores bile from your liver, which is used by the gut to help digest food.

Sometimes your gallbladder may become blocked with gallstones.

Gallstones are 'stones' made from cholesterol, bile pigment and calcium salts that form in your gallbladder.

Gallbladder surgery is a hospital procedure to remove the gallbladder or any gallstones that may be inside it. This can be done through small incisions (laparoscopic cholecystectomy) or through one large incision (open cholecystectomy).

Gallbladder surgery is usually performed by a gastroenterologist.

How much does gallbladder surgery cost?

Our out-of-pocket calculator will provide you with a clear understanding of the typical costs associated with this common hospital procedure.

It’s important to understand how getting your procedure in a public or private hospital differs.

QuestionPublic system 
(Without health insurance)
Private system 
(With health insurance)
Will I avoid public hospital waiting lists?

No.

Yes.

Will I be able to choose my hospital?

No.

Yes.

Will I be able to choose my doctor or surgeon?

No.

Yes.

Will I have out-of-pocket costs?

No.

Yes.

In a public hospital, gallbladder surgery is covered by Medicare for eligible residents.

Once you are discharged from hospital, you may still need to pay out-of-pocket for things like medicines and health services (like physiotherapy or occupational therapy).

In a private hospital, private health insurance can cover some costs of gallbladder surgery.

You may have an out-of-pocket cost if you use private hospital cover when you get treatment. You can minimise some of these costs by choosing a hospital and specialist that have agreements with your health insurer.

If you have an excess on your cover, you will have to pay for that out of pocket.

Hospital excess is the amount of money you contribute upfront (out of your own pocket) before you can claim a benefit on hospital treatment. With HBF hospital cover, you choose an excess option when you first get hospital cover, but you can change your excess at any time.

With HBF, you only pay hospital excess once per person, per calendar year (to a maximum of twice on a family policy) when you’re admitted to hospital.

Are you an HBF member? You can check your excess in myHBF or the HBF App. This is the set amount you’ll pay when you’re admitted.

A hospital out-of-pocket cost is the portion of a hospital bill that you pay from your own pocket for which you won’t be reimbursed – by either health insurance or Medicare.

If you want private health insurance cover for gallbladder surgery, look for HBF hospital cover (not extras cover) that includes a category called ‘Digestive system’.

You need to hold hospital cover that includes Digestive system for two months before you can claim for gallbladder surgery (or 12 months if you need gallbladder surgery due to a pre-existing condition).

Find hospital cover for gallbladder surgery

Ask your GP for an open referral

Your GP is the one who’ll most likely refer you to a specialist – but you may want the option to choose your own specialist.

Asking for an open referral can let you:

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Signs you might need gallbladder surgery1

Most gallstones don’t cause any symptoms and don’t require surgery. But if you do have gallstone symptoms, you will most likely need surgery.

Here are some common gallstone symptoms:

Doctor explaining results to patient

Diagnosing gallstones1

Gallstones are diagnosed using a variety of techniques, including:

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Alternatives to gallbladder surgery 1

Non-surgical treatments for gallstones include:

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Gallbladder surgery recovery2

Most patients leave hospital one day after gallbladder surgery and it is considered safe. After surgery:

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Further reading

Doctor with notebook
Understand your hospital cover and reduce stress during your stay with our simple hospital guide.
Learn more
Woman having a cup of tea with laptop
Already an HBF member? See what you’re covered for and manage your cover by logging into myHBF.
Learn more
Man looking at xray
Learn about other common hospital procedures, their costs and what recovery might look like.
Learn more

1 Health Direct - Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (2023)

2 Better Health - Gallbladder, gallstones and surgery (2023)