Is Breast Augmentation Covered by Medicare? Perth Cost Guide

No. Purely cosmetic breast augmentation does not attract a Medicare rebate, and private health funds do not pay benefits for procedures done for cosmetic reasons. Some breast surgery performed for medical reasons may attract a rebate if it meets specific Medicare Benefits Schedule criteria, which are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Otherwise, you fund the full cost yourself.

Written by the Absolute Cosmetic content team in Perth. Medically reviewed by Dr Glenn Murray (AHPRA registration MED0001196978), Medical Director. Last updated September 2026

Is breast augmentation covered by Medicare?

Medicare draws a hard line between surgery that is medically necessary and surgery that is elective and cosmetic. Breast augmentation for cosmetic reasons sits firmly on the wrong side of that line for funding purposes.

The Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), which is the list of services the Commonwealth pays a benefit towards, states the position plainly in its explanatory notes: benefits are not payable for surgical procedures performed primarily for cosmetic reasons, and procedures not listed on the MBS attract no benefit at all. The government’s own consumer guidance on what Medicare covers makes the same point, noting that Medicare pays for services necessary to maintain health but not for optional treatments, such as elective cosmetic surgery.

Rebates are tied to individual MBS item numbers, and each item has its own criteria. Two operations that look much the same from the outside can be treated quite differently: one meets the criteria attached to an item, the other doesn’t. What decides it is your clinical circumstances, not the name of the procedure.

We aren’t listing item numbers or rebate amounts here, because both are revised regularly and a figure quoted in a blog post ages badly. Search current items yourself on MBS Online, and raise eligibility with your GP and again at your consultation.

One thing applies regardless of funding: a GP referral is required before your first cosmetic surgery consultation. We’ve explained why a GP referral comes first separately.

Situations that are sometimes assessed differently

Some breast surgery is assessed against different criteria to elective cosmetic augmentation. Reconstruction following mastectomy is the clearest example, and the MBS explanatory notes specifically name it as a circumstance where benefits may be payable.

Significant developmental asymmetry and complications arising from existing implants are also assessed on their clinical merits rather than being ruled out as cosmetic from the start.

These are circumstances that get looked at differently, not promises of a rebate. Whether a particular case meets the criteria attached to a particular item is a clinical judgement, and no one can answer it on a website. If you have implants and are dealing with a problem, our breast implant removal page covers that pathway.

Will private health insurance cover it?

Health funds do not pay benefits for procedures performed for purely cosmetic reasons, and by law they generally cannot. Private health insurance is built around the MBS, so if Medicare pays nothing, the fund follows suit.

The Australian Government’s consumer site puts it this way: services not listed on the MBS, such as elective cosmetic surgery, are covered by private hospital insurance only to a limited extent or not at all, depending on the policy. The Commonwealth Ombudsman is blunter, stating cosmetic surgery is not recognised by Medicare and that insurers do not pay benefits for these procedures or their associated hospital costs.

Where a procedure does have an MBS item number, and you meet its criteria, the picture changes. The hospital component may then be claimable if you hold appropriate hospital cover and have served the relevant waiting periods. Medical fees are handled separately, and that is where the gap usually appears, since a fund contributes a set amount and the practitioner’s fee may exceed it.

Ask your fund three questions directly: is there an MBS item number for what is planned, does my policy tier include the relevant clinical category, and have my waiting periods been served? Plastic and reconstructive surgery is its own clinical category under the Gold, Silver, Bronze and Basic tiers, so cover varies considerably. Compare policies on the government’s private health insurance site.

So what does breast augmentation actually cost in Perth?

Breast augmentation at Absolute Cosmetic is offered as an all-inclusive figure from $13,993, current as of August 2026, with the final cost confirmed at consultation once you have been assessed. Our pricing page carries the current schedule.

The figure covers the operating practitioner’s fee, the anaesthetist and the accredited facility. Standard silicone implants are in there too, based on what is recommended at your consultation, as are your pre-operative appointments, the routine post-operative reviews and the surgical garments you are required to wear.

What moves the number are implant selection, placement technique, surgical complexity, the amount of theatre and anaesthetic time required, and any additional tests or items your practitioner requests. A detailed financial consent is provided before booking, so you should not be guessing.

For a fuller treatment of pricing generally, we have two existing articles: frequently asked questions about breast augmentation costs and understanding the cost of breast augmentation surgery. This article stays on funding and quote comparison.

What should be in the quote: a checklist

A quote you cannot itemise is not a quote. Informed financial consent means receiving a written, itemised figure before you commit to anything, and it is a requirement rather than a courtesy.

Work through the table below with whatever clinic you are considering, including ours. The column that matters most is the third one.

Item	Usually included	Sometimes included	Ask specifically
Initial consultation	Often billed separately	Sometimes credited against surgery	Is it refundable or credited if you don’t proceed?
Operating practitioner’s fee	Yes		Is it fixed, or does it vary with theatre time?
Anaesthetist’s fee	Yes in a package quote	Billed separately elsewhere	Who bills you, and when?
Hospital or day-surgery facility fee	Yes in a package quote	Billed separately elsewhere	Which facility, and is it licensed?
Implants	Yes for standard implants	Premium or specialty implants cost more	Which brand and model, and what if you choose differently?
Surgical garments	Often	Sometimes an extra	How many, and are replacements included?
Pathology and imaging		Rarely	Is a baseline mammogram needed, and who pays?
Post-operative reviews	Routine reviews usually		How many, over what period, and what happens after that?
Revision policy	Rarely stated upfront		If revision is needed, who pays, and within what timeframe?

Two items on that list are where people get caught. Revision policy is the big one, because a revision is a second operation with its own facility and anaesthetic costs. Post-operative reviews are the other: routine reviews within the first year are one thing, and a review five years later is another.

Questions to ask about an “all-inclusive” price

An all-inclusive price is genuinely useful, but the word “all” does a lot of work, and it is worth testing what lies within it.

Ask what happens if theatre time runs longer than planned, and whether the quote absorbs that or you do. Ask whether the implants themselves are inside the figure, and what happens to the price if you and your practitioner settle on a different implant than the standard one. Ask whether revision surgery is covered, and if so, for which complications and over what period. Ask how many follow-up appointments are included and for how long.

Then ask what is definitely excluded. Time off work, help at home, and any future surgery on the implants are almost never in a surgical quote, and none of them is optional in practice.

Costs that come after the surgery

The surgical quote is not the total cost of having breast implants, and the gap between the two catches people out.

Time off work comes first. Light activities are usually resumed within two to three weeks depending on your recovery and the techniques used, with strenuous upper-body exercise, heavy lifting and swimming deferred until you are cleared. If you are self-employed or on casual hours, that is real money.

There are smaller practical costs sitting behind that. You may want extra garments beyond the ones supplied. You will need transport on the day because you cannot drive yourself, and a responsible adult has to collect you at discharge and stay with you for the first 24 hours. If you live alone, or you have young children at home, budget for some help as well.

The long-term item is the one most quotes never mention. Breast implants are long-lasting devices, but they are not lifetime devices. Ageing, hormonal changes, weight fluctuation and the condition of the implant all affect longevity, and periodic review and imaging are recommended. Further surgery at some point is realistic rather than remote, and it belongs in your financial thinking now. See how long breast implants actually last and breast implant checks and capsulectomy.

Paying for it: what to know about payment plans and finance

Payment plan options are available, and the details are outlined on our payment plans page.

Two points worth stating plainly. First, work out the total cost of any finance arrangement over its full term, including interest, establishment fees and ongoing fees, rather than assessing it on the repayment figure alone. A comfortable weekly amount can still add several thousand dollars to what you ultimately pay. Second, the availability of finance is not a reason to have surgery. It is a mechanism for properly paying for a decision you have already made, on clinical grounds, after a cooling-off period.

If the finances are what make the decision feel possible, that is worth sitting with for a while before you proceed.

Before you commit: the safeguards built into the process

Cosmetic surgery in Australia is subject to a specific set of patient protections introduced by the Medical Board of Australia on 1 July 2023. They exist to slow the process, and using them properly is in your best interest.

A referral is required from a GP or other registered medical practitioner before your first cosmetic surgery consultation.

Two consultations, not one. At least two pre-operative consultations are required, with at least one in person with the practitioner performing your surgery. You cannot consent at the first.

Psychological screening. The practitioner must assess you using a validated screening tool, including for body dysmorphic disorder, and refer you for further evaluation if there are concerns.

A cooling-off period. For adults, a minimum seven days applies before surgery can be booked or a deposit paid. For patients under 18, it is three months, plus an independent assessment.

An appropriately licensed facility, with an accredited theatre team and a qualified anaesthetist.

The device registry. Ask to be included in the Australian Breast Device Registry, a Commonwealth-funded national registry that tracks breast device outcomes and acts as an early warning system for the regulator.

One more thing, since it affects how you read every clinic website you visit: only a doctor with specialist registration in surgery may lawfully use the title “surgeon”. Check any practitioner’s registration and title on the AHPRA public register. Full requirements are in the Medical Board’s cosmetic surgery guidelines.

Risks worth pricing in

Breast augmentation is major surgery, and the risks carry financial consequences as well as clinical ones, because managing a complication usually means another procedure.

Capsular contracture, where scar tissue tightens around the implant and firms or distorts the breast, is the most common complication, and the risk increases over time. Implant rupture, displacement or rotation can occur. So can infection, bleeding, changes in nipple sensation, asymmetry, scarring, and delayed wound healing. Anaesthetic risks apply as with any operation. Revision surgery is a recognised possibility rather than a rare exception.

There is also BIA-ALCL, short for breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma. It is a rare cancer of the immune system linked to breast implants, and the risk runs higher with textured implants that have a high surface area. Across 2019 and 2020, Australian regulators suspended or cancelled a number of the highly textured models. If you have implants and no symptoms, the current advice is that you do not need them taken out. What you do need to do is pay attention. Swelling, a lump, pain that will not settle, or a fever you cannot explain are all reasons to see a doctor promptly. The regulator’s breast implant hub is the authoritative consumer source.

Our risks and complications page sets out the full picture, and documented outcomes are on our before and after gallery.

Why choose Dr Murray for Breast Augmentation in Perth

The practitioners. Medical Director Dr Glenn Murray (AHPRA registration MED0001196978), MBBS, FRACGP, MIT AI (Health) Cert., is a registered medical practitioner and Specialist General Practitioner, holding specialist registration in general practice, with over 30 years of full-time clinical experience in cosmetic medicine. He has undertaken additional training in breast surgery techniques in Australia and overseas, is Chairman of the International Breast Advisory Group, and leads a multidisciplinary team across five Perth clinics. Director of Nursing, Stephanie Murray (AHPRA registration NMW0001544535), leads the nursing team and oversees clinical standards. Verify both registrations on the AHPRA public register, and read more on our team page. Dr Murray’s profiles are on RealSelf, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Memberships relevant to breast surgery. Dr Murray is a member of the American Society of Cosmetic Breast Surgery, the Australian College of Cosmetic Surgery and Medicine, the International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science and the Cosmetic Physicians College of Australasia. We contribute to the Australian Breast Device Registry. The full list is on our memberships and awards page.

Where we treat. Five full-time Perth clinics: Nedlands, Joondalup, Perth City at Raine Square, Applecross and Innaloo, with an accredited day hospital at our Nedlands clinic where surgical procedures are performed. We also visit Mandurah, Bunbury, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Karratha and Esperance, with Busselton opening soon, and offer Skype, FaceTime and WhatsApp consultations for patients outside Perth. All clinic locations are listed on our site.

How consultations work. Breast augmentation requires a GP referral, at least two pre-operative consultations and a cooling-off period of at least seven days. At those appointments, you are assessed individually and go through the risks and alternatives, including options that do not involve implants. You take written information home with you, and you receive an itemised financial consent before anything is booked. If your case calls for specialist plastic surgery input, we arrange a referral to an appropriate FRACS specialist plastic surgeon or breast surgeon. We also encourage every patient to get a second opinion.

Frequently asked questions

Is breast augmentation covered by Medicare?

No, not when performed for cosmetic reasons. The Medicare Benefits Schedule states benefits are not payable for procedures performed primarily for cosmetic reasons. Some breast surgery done for medical reasons, such as reconstruction after mastectomy, may attract a benefit where the criteria attached to a specific MBS item are met.

Does private health insurance cover breast implants?

Not for cosmetic procedures. Funds take their lead from Medicare, so if Medicare pays nothing, your fund generally will not either, including the hospital costs attached to it. It is a different story where an MBS item applies. Hold the right level of hospital cover, serve your waiting periods, and the hospital component may be claimable. Medical fees are handled separately.

How much does breast augmentation cost in Perth?

At Absolute Cosmetic, the all-inclusive figure starts at $13,993, current as of August 2026. Your final cost is confirmed at consultation, once you have been assessed. What shifts it is the implant you and your practitioner settle on, where that implant is placed, how complex the surgery turns out to be and how long you spend in theatre. You receive a detailed written financial consent before anything is booked.

What is included in a breast augmentation quote?

A package quote usually covers the operating practitioner’s fee, the anaesthetist, the accredited facility, standard implants, your pre-operative appointments, routine post-operative reviews, and the garments you are required to wear. Three things tend to be left out, so ask about them directly: the revision policy, how long follow-up actually continues, and who wears the cost if theatre time runs over. Ask for the quote in writing, itemised.

Do I need a GP referral for breast augmentation?

Yes. Since 1 July 2023, you need a referral from a GP, or from another registered medical practitioner, before your first cosmetic surgery consultation. The point is that your GP reviews your overall health and discusses why you are considering surgery. It puts a doctor who already knows you at the front of the process.

How long is the cooling-off period for cosmetic surgery in Australia?

For adults, at least seven days must pass before surgery can be booked or a deposit paid. For patients under 18, the cooling-off period is three months, and an independent assessment by a GP, psychologist, or psychiatrist who is not performing the procedure is also required. The period cannot be waived.

Can I fix saggy breasts without surgery?

No. Sagging (ptosis) is a change in the position of breast tissue and the skin envelope, and no non-surgical treatment repositions it. Creams, devices and energy-based treatments do not lift breast tissue. Correcting ptosis requires surgery, sometimes combined with implants, assessed at consultation.

Individual outcomes vary due to factors including genetics, diet, age, exercise, lifestyle, weight and overall health, and no result can be guaranteed. All invasive surgery carries inherent risks and requires a recovery period and specific care regimen. This article is general information and does not constitute medical advice or establish a doctor-patient relationship. Content is intended for audiences aged 18 and over.