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.

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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.

Public and private hospital options

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

Question	Public 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.

What’s covered in a public hospital?

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).

What’s covered in a private hospital?

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.

What is hospital excess?

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.

What is an out-of-pocket cost?

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.

How to find health cover for gallbladder surgery

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:

Choose your own specialist.
Find a specialist with good availability who can perform treatment at the hospital you prefer.
Find a specialist that you trust to perform your surgery.
Find a specialist with minimum out-of-pocket expenses for you.

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:

Constant, severe abdominal pain.
High temperature.
Fever.
Jaundice – yellow discolouration of your eyes, pale faeces, and dark urine.
Nausea and vomiting.
Shaking.

Diagnosing gallstones¹

Gallstones are diagnosed using a variety of techniques, including:

Physical examination and x-rays.
Ultrasound.
Endoscopic testing.
Scans.
Body imaging.

Alternatives to gallbladder surgery ¹

Non-surgical treatments for gallstones include:

A low-fat diet with limited dairy.
Soundwaves to shatter the gallstones.
Medications to dissolve gallstones, though this can have side effects and a variable success rate.