Dr Costa Karihaloo participates in the known-gap arrangement with most health funds. This means that you (the patient) may be charged a known out-of-pocket cost (up to $500 dependent on the procedure), to be paid prior to surgery and the remainder of the surgeons fee will be billed direct to your health fund. If your health fund does not participate in the known-gap arrangement, you may be invoiced the whole amount of the surgeon fee and will then be able to claim this from Medicare and health fund once you have been issued with a receipt. This does not include bariatric (weight loss) surgery.

Bariatric operations (for weight loss) are not covered by the no-gap or known-gap arrangement – please review the following quotation documents:

• Obesity Surgery Quote – Covered by health fund
• Obesity Surgery Quote – Self funded – by application only

All bariatric procedures (initial or subsequent) are subject to fund checks by you, the patient.  Re-do/subsequent bariatric procedures may not be covered by no-gap scheme – please speak to the administration staff. If, at the time of your bariatric surgery, you require another procedure to be performed synchronously this will incur an extra charge.

This advice does not relate to services provided by other doctors, including assistant surgeons, anaesthetists, radiologists, physicians, or pathologists, nor any other costs associated with your stay, e.g. accommodation, theatre fee, pharmacy or physiotherapy.  It relates to doctor’s fee only for inpatient services. Most patients will have some out of pocket expenses for appointments but these will be detailed at the time the appointment is booked.

With regards to the anaesthetist’s fee, once the date for your operation has been allocated administration staff will be able to provide you with their contact details. You will then be able to contact them directly regarding fee structures.

Please refer to your health fund for additional information not provided above.

Dr Karihaloo has no financial interest, other than the fee for service, in any products or hospital services.

You should discuss these costs with your doctor or doctor’s staff and your health insurer before your procedure to be sure you understand what costs you may be liable to pay yourself. You will be liable for any costs not covered by Medicare or your health fund.

As with any medical procedure, if unforeseen circumstances arise during the procedure it may be necessary to arrange additional medical services or use a different or more costly prosthetic device or implant. If this happens there may be additional costs to you that are not covered by this estimate.