Private surgery Australia
Knee replacement cost in Australia
Knee replacement quotes should separate surgeon, anaesthetist, hospital, prosthesis, Medicare rebate, private health insurance benefit, hospital excess and rehabilitation costs.
Last updated: 2026-05-19. All prices in AUD unless stated.
Quick answer
TreatCompare tracks knee replacement in the AU waiting-time dataset with a national public median wait of 209 days and a private cost guide range of A$20,000-A$35,000 before patient-specific insurance, surgeon-gap and prosthesis checks.
How the bill works
Cost anatomy
Specialist or surgeon fee
The doctor performing the procedure.
May have a no-gap, known-gap or full private gap.
Anaesthetist fee
Sedation or anaesthesia billed separately for many procedures.
Ask before booking; it can be separate from surgeon quote.
Hospital or theatre fee
Private hospital or day-surgery facility charge.
Private hospital cover may contribute if eligible.
Patient gap
The amount left after Medicare and insurer payments.
Depends on policy, provider agreement and chosen items.
Access routes
Public route
Referral and public hospital waiting-list pathway.
Usually lower direct cost, less provider choice.
Insured private route
Private hospital cover plus Medicare and insurer benefits.
Check excess, waiting periods and gap arrangements.
Uninsured private route
Patient pays private hospital, surgeon and anaesthetist fees.
Needs an itemised quote before booking.
Knee replacement cost components
| Item | Typical role in bill | Funding route | Questions to ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orthopaedic surgeon fee | Main specialist fee for partial or total knee replacement. | Medicare and insurer may contribute | Is this partial, total or bilateral knee replacement and how is it billed? |
| Hospital fee | Theatre, ward and private hospital charges. | Private hospital cover if eligible | Is the hospital contracted with the insurer and what excess applies? |
| Prosthesis or implant | Knee implant components and related prosthesis costs. | Private health insurance may contribute | Are prosthesis costs fully covered or is there a patient gap? |
| Anaesthetist and rehab | Anaesthesia, pain management, physio and rehabilitation planning. | Mixed Medicare, insurer and self-pay | What physio, equipment or rehab costs are outside the hospital quote? |
Typical patient journey
Before
Referral, specialist consult, diagnostics and written quote.
Ask for surgeon, anaesthetist and hospital fees separately.
During
Admission or day surgery, procedure, theatre and device/lens costs.
Confirm insurer agreement and hospital excess.
After
Follow-up, medicines, second-side procedure or rehabilitation.
Ask what is included in the original quote.
Public, insured and self-pay notes
- Knee replacement has one of the longer public elective-surgery waits in the AU waiting-time dataset.
- Private joint replacement usually requires appropriate hospital cover and served waiting periods.
- Ask whether the quote is for one knee, both knees, partial replacement or total replacement.
- Rehabilitation and physiotherapy costs can materially change the total patient budget.
Usually included
- Public wait-time context
- Private quote component checklist
- Insurance and prosthesis prompts
May cost extra
- Surgeon gap
- Anaesthetist gap
- Hospital excess
- Prosthesis gap
- Physiotherapy
- Mobility aids
Questions to ask before booking
- What are the surgeon, anaesthetist and hospital fees separately?
- Is this no-gap, known-gap or full private billing?
- Is the hospital contracted with my insurer?
- Are lens, device, follow-up or second-side costs extra?
Cost terms used on this page
Gap
The amount left for the patient after Medicare, insurer or subsidy payments.
MBS item
A Medicare Benefits Schedule service code used to calculate rebates.
PBS
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, which subsidises eligible medicines.
Known-gap
A private insurance arrangement where the patient gap is disclosed in advance.
Hospital excess
A fixed amount a patient may pay when claiming on private hospital cover.
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Australian private hospital scrape signals
Checked 4 private provider sources on 21 May 2026; 4 returned crawlable signals. 1 crawlable AUD price signal captured.
| Provider | Signal | Captured value | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epworth HealthCare | Price Knee replacement unilateral package | A$16,300 | Provider page |
| Healthscope | Available Knee replacement | Mentioned in crawlable text; no nearby price captured | Provider page |
| Ramsay Health Care Australia | Available Partial knee replacement | Mentioned in crawlable text; no nearby price captured | Provider page |
| Ramsay Health Care Australia | Available Knee replacement - robotic | Mentioned in crawlable text; no nearby price captured | Provider page |
| Ramsay Health Care Australia | Available Knee replacement | Mentioned in crawlable text; no nearby price captured | Provider page |
| St Vincent's Private Hospitals | Quote Self-funded knee replacement package | Self-funded package route; no crawlable price captured | Provider page |
Sources & further reading
- Australian Government Medical Costs Finder — Official Australian Government benchmark for private specialist and hospital cost components. The tool is a guide, not a quote.
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare — Public hospital and elective surgery context.
- Medicare Benefits Schedule — MBS item context and Medicare rebate framework.
- PrivateHealth.gov.au — Private hospital cover, clinical categories and waiting-period context.
Prescription treatments require a valid Australian prescription from an AHPRA-registered practitioner. This site does not provide medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any treatment.