Costs and financial assistance for breast reconstruction

Before you have surgery, find out how much it will cost to have a breast reconstruction. Check with your surgeon, the hospital, Medicare and your private health fund, if you have one, before deciding to go ahead.

Find out whether you may need to pay for extras. These may include pain medicines, post-surgical bras and check-ups with your breast surgeon.

Learn more about:

Help with costs

There are services available to help with other costs associated with a reconstruction. These can include transport costs to attend medical appointments and the cost of prescription medicines. Ask the hospital social worker which services are available in your local area and if you are eligible to receive them.

If you need legal or financial advice, you should talk to a qualified professional about your situation. Cancer Council offers free legal and financial services in some states and territories for people who can’t afford to pay – call 13 11 20 to ask if you are eligible.

If you have your nipple tattooed, there is a Medicare rebate for this if the tattooing is done by a health professional with a Medicare provider number. You can also ask your private health fund, if you have one, if they cover the cost for this.With my private insurance, I was significantly out of pocket, due to the anaesthetist charging well above the schedule fee. However, the advantage gained with the reconstruction was well worth the cost.

What to consider – reconstruction costs

Public hospital

Private hospital
  • Reconstruction after a mastectomy is a medical procedure, not a cosmetic one, so the costs are covered through Medicare for a public patient in a public hospital.
  • There may be some extra charges if an implant is used.
  • There may be some charges for private patients who have a reconstruction in a public hospital.
  • If you choose to have a delayed reconstruction, you will be put on the hospital’s elective surgery waiting list. You may need to wait many months for the operation. Ask your surgeon how long you might have to wait.
  • You can put your name on a waiting list even if you’re not sure that you want a reconstruction.
  • Private patients may be covered by their private health insurance or may have to pay the cost themselves.
  • In a private hospital, Medicare will cover some of the surgeon’s and anaesthetist’s fees. Your health fund may cover some or all of the remaining costs, but you may need to pay a gap fee or a hospital admission fee.
  • Part or the entire cost of an inflatable tissue expander and any permanent implant may also be covered by your insurance provider.
  • If you decide to join a health fund before your operation, you will have to wait the qualifying period before you can make a claim. This may be up to 12 months. Check with the different health funds.

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Breast Prostheses and Reconstruction

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This information was last reviewed in July 2020. View who reviewed this content.

A/Prof Elisabeth Elder, Specialist Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon, Westmead Breast Cancer Institute and Clinical Associate Professor, The University of Sydney, NSW; Dragana Ceprnja, Senior Physiotherapist and Health Professional Educator, Westmead Hospital, NSW; Jan Davies, Consumer; Rosemerry Hodgkin, Consumer; Gillian Horton, Owner and Director, Colleen’s Lingerie and Swimwear, ACT; Ashleigh Mondolo, Clinical Nurse Consultant Breast Care Nurse, Mater Private Hospital South Brisbane, QLD; Dr Jane O’Brien, Specialist Oncoplastic Breast Cancer Surgeon, St Vincent’s Private Hospital, VIC; Moira Waters, Breast Care Nurse, Breast Cancer Care WA; Sharon Woolridge, Consumer; Rebecca Yeoh, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council Queensland.

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