Hernia Surgery Costs in Brisbane

The honest answer to “how much does hernia surgery cost?” is: it depends. Every hernia is unique. Its size, location, complexity, your previous surgical history, and the technique used — open, laparoscopic (keyhole) or robotic-assisted — all affect the final cost. Before you commit to anything, Dr Goutham Sivasuthan, FRACS, AHPRA-registered (MED0002000354), will give you full informed financial consent and a written quote at your consultation, so you can take it home and review it in your own time, with no pressure.

This page is general guidance only. The actual cost for your procedure will be confirmed in writing at your consultation. Always check the specific quote you receive against your private health fund and Medicare cover before agreeing to surgery.

Transparent Pricing — No Surprises

Hernia repair is not a single operation. A small primary inguinal hernia in a fit patient is a very different procedure to a large recurrent incisional hernia requiring component separation. The cost reflects the complexity. Things that affect the fee include:

The hernia type (inguinal, femoral, umbilical, incisional, ventral, recurrent)
The surgical approach (open, laparoscopic, robotic-assisted)
Whether mesh is required and which mesh is chosen
Whether the repair is unilateral or bilateral, primary or recurrent
The hospital where the procedure is performed and the anaesthetic time

Why Hernia Surgery Costs Vary

Dr Goutham is a known-gap provider with most major Australian private health funds where possible for hernia surgery. Known gap means the surgeon’s fee may include a small, capped out-of-pocket amount on top of what your fund pays — different from no gap, where there is zero out-of-pocket. Whether your repair lands in the known-gap arrangement depends on your fund, your level of cover, and the hernia type.

At booking, our rooms will verify your fund cover, confirm the Medicare item numbers that apply, and issue a written quote with the expected surgeon, anaesthetist and hospital out-of-pocket amounts before you accept a procedure date. If anything changes during planning, a revised quote is issued.

Insured Patients — Known-Gap Where Possible

Step 1 — Consultation. Dr Goutham examines you, confirms the hernia type, and discusses the surgical options that suit your situation. Bring your GP referral and a list of any current medications.
Step 2 — Written quote. You receive a written quote with all expected fees broken down: surgeon, anaesthetist, hospital, pathology (if relevant). Medicare and private health fund rebates are shown so you can see your expected out-of-pocket.
Step 3 — Take it home. Review the quote in your own time. There is no pressure to book on the day of consultation.
Step 4 — Ask questions. If anything in the quote is unclear, call or email Dr Goutham’s rooms — we are happy to walk you through it line by line.
Step 5 — Book. Once you are comfortable, we book the procedure at the operating hospital that best suits you (Spring Hill, Sunnybank, Cleveland, Springwood, or North Lakes).

Our Supported Process — No Pressure to Decide

The total cost of hernia surgery is not just the surgeon’s fee. The other components, each billed separately, are:

Anaesthetist fee — billed by the anaesthetist directly. Many anaesthetists also offer known-gap arrangements; the rooms will give you their contact details to confirm.
Hospital / day-surgery facility fee — usually covered by your private hospital cover. The hospital will contact you directly with any expected excess.
Pathology — only if tissue is sent for analysis (rare for routine hernia repair).
Imaging — only if pre-operative ultrasound or CT is ordered. Bulk-billed where possible.
Mesh and implant cost — included in the hospital fee for standard mesh. Specialist mesh choices may carry an additional fee, which will be quoted in advance.

Ancillary Fees Explained

Medicare Item Numbers

The most common Medicare item numbers for hernia repair (to verify the surgeon-fee component of your quote) include:

30614 — Inguinal or femoral hernia repair, recurrent
30615 — Inguinal or femoral hernia repair, bilateral
30621 — Umbilical hernia repair
30655 — Ventral hernia repair, with or without mesh

Medicare item numbers are updated periodically by the Department of Health. The exact codes used for your procedure will be confirmed in your written quote.

How much will I be out of pocket for hernia surgery? It depends on your private health fund, level of cover, and the specific hernia and technique. With known-gap arrangements in place where possible, the out-of-pocket amount for the surgeon’s fee is typically modest. Anaesthetist and hospital fees are separate. Your written quote at consultation will show the exact expected amounts.

What if I don’t have private health insurance? Hernia repair is most commonly performed under private health cover in this practice. If you are uninsured, please contact our rooms to discuss the public hospital referral pathway or other options.

Why is each quote different? Hernia repairs vary in complexity. A small primary inguinal hernia is a very different operation from a large recurrent incisional hernia, and the fees reflect that. Dr Goutham will explain at consultation why your specific repair is quoted at the figure shown.

Can I pay in instalments? Most fees are paid at the time of service. If financial arrangements are a concern, please raise it at your consultation — the rooms will discuss the options available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Dr Goutham Sivasuthan is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS), AHPRA-registered (MED0002000354), and a graduate of the University of Queensland (MBBS). All fees on this page apply only to procedures personally performed by Dr Goutham at the operating hospitals listed below. Dr Goutham does not perform hiatal (paraoesophageal) hernia repair or parastomal hernia repair — those are referred to upper-GI or colorectal sub-specialists.

About the Surgeon

Phone: (07) 3333 5518 or (07) 3333 5519
Online booking: Make an Appointment

Main consulting rooms:
Brisbane Main Suites — Watkins Medical Centre
Level 7, Suite 351, 225 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill QLD 4000

Additional consulting locations across Brisbane and surrounds:

St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital — Level 6, Suite 6.5, 457 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill QLD 4001
Sunnybank Private Hospital — 245 McCullough Street, Sunnybank QLD 4109
Springwood Day Hospital — 52 Cinderella Drive, Springwood QLD 4127
Mater Health Centre Cleveland — Suite 4, 16 Weippin Street, Cleveland QLD 4163
North Lakes — 7 Endeavour Boulevard, North Lakes QLD 4509

Please bring your GP referral and a list of any current medications to your first consultation. We will confirm consulting location, parking and accessibility at the time of booking.