Public Hospital Waiting Times vs Private: Australia
How long will you wait for elective surgery in the public system — and what would it cost to go private? Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
Quick answer
Updated May 2026Australian public hospital elective surgery wait times vary materially by state and by procedure. Private routes may shorten waits substantially, but the out-of-pocket cost depends on whether the patient has private health insurance, the hospital tier and the surgeon's scheduled fee.
- Compare state-specific public hospital wait times before paying privately.
- Check whether private health insurance covers the procedure and what the gap is.
- Surgeon-set fees can vary substantially even for the same procedure.
AU comparison next step
Compare local NHS waits with private starting prices
- NHS eligibility varies by treatment and location.
- Private prices usually depend on provider, anaesthetic, hospital and aftercare.
- Finance may be available, but total cost still matters.
Sources and updates
How this page is sourced
Sources
- AIHW elective surgery waiting times data
- State and territory health department publications
- Published private hospital and surgeon information
- TreatCompare compiled AU public-vs-private comparison dataset
Methodology: We compare AIHW-published public hospital elective surgery wait times with published private hospital and surgeon information by state. Patient out-of-pocket costs depend on insurance, surgeon's scheduled fee and hospital tier.
Caveat: This page is for cost and timing comparison. It is not medical advice and does not assess clinical urgency.
Using this data?
Sources, review and limits
Main sources
- AIHW MyHospitals elective surgery waiting times dataset 2024-25
- State and territory health department publications
- Published private hospital and surgeon information
- TreatCompare compiled AU public-vs-private comparison dataset
Methodology: We compare AIHW-published public hospital elective surgery wait times with published private hospital and surgeon information by state. Patient out-of-pocket costs depend on private health insurance, the surgeon's scheduled fee and any hospital co-payment. Wait times reflect 2024-25 reporting; current operational waits may differ.
TreatCompare publishes healthcare, care-cost and treatment-pricing research for consumers, journalists, policymakers and commercial teams.
Cost FAQs
How long is the wait for elective surgery in Australia?
Public hospital elective surgery waits in Australia vary by state and procedure. AIHW publishes median and 90th-percentile waits annually; some procedures and states have median waits over 6 months.
Is private treatment in Australia faster than public?
Usually yes for elective procedures. Private routes can shorten the wait substantially, but the cost depends on private health insurance, the surgeon's scheduled fee and any hospital co-payment.
Does private health insurance cover the full cost in Australia?
Not always. Many procedures have a gap fee between the insurance benefit and the surgeon's charge. Patients should request a written estimate before booking.
Can I have a procedure in a public hospital as a private patient?
Yes — public hospitals admit private patients in many situations, and the choice can affect waiting time and choice of surgeon, but also fee structure. Discuss with the hospital admissions team.
According to AIHW MyHospitals 2024-25 data, 6 elective surgical procedures show material public hospital waiting times in Australia, including knee replacement (national median 209 days), hip replacement (152 days) and cataract surgery (90 days).
According to AIHW reporting, Tasmania and Western Australia generally show the longest public hospital waits in Australia, while Queensland and New South Wales report shorter waits for many procedures.
According to Australian private health insurance product disclosure statements, hospital cover with appropriate tier and waiting periods typically enables private elective surgery within 2–6 weeks; out-of-pocket gaps depend on the surgeon's scheduled fee and hospital tier.
Sources: AIHW MyHospitals, state health departments, private health insurance PDS. Last reviewed May 2026.
Important context
Public waiting-time figures are usually published at a broad system, hospital or procedure level and private prices are indicative ranges. Local eligibility, referral route, clinical urgency, provider package and insurance status can change the real-world choice. TreatCompare is for comparison only and is not medical, legal or financial advice.
- Source type
- Official public dataset and provider price estimates
- Primary source
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare elective surgery waiting-time data
- Reporting period
- 2024-25
- Last updated
- May 2026
- Figure type
- Mixed sources
- Use
- Research and comparison only
Are you a clinic, provider or data owner?
If you believe information on this page is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete or presented without necessary context, contact us with the page URL and supporting evidence. We review correction requests promptly, but they are not automatically accepted.
Public vs private: median wait and cost
| Procedure | Public wait (median) | Private wait | Private cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cataract surgery | 90 days | 2–4 weeks | $3,000–$5,000 |
| Knee replacement | 209 days | 2–6 weeks | $20,000–$35,000 |
| Hip replacement | 152 days | 2–6 weeks | $18,000–$30,000 |
| IVF cycle | 42 days | 2–4 weeks | $7,000–$15,000 |
| Hernia repair | 78 days | 1–3 weeks | $4,000–$8,000 |
| Tonsillectomy | 120 days | 1–3 weeks | $3,000–$6,000 |
Waiting times by state
Cataract surgery
National median: 90 days. Private alternative: 2–4 weeks at $3,000–$5,000.
Knee replacement
National median: 209 days. Private alternative: 2–6 weeks at $20,000–$35,000.
Hip replacement
National median: 152 days. Private alternative: 2–6 weeks at $18,000–$30,000.
IVF cycle
National median: 42 days. Private alternative: 2–4 weeks at $7,000–$15,000.
Hernia repair
National median: 78 days. Private alternative: 1–3 weeks at $4,000–$8,000.
Tonsillectomy
National median: 120 days. Private alternative: 1–3 weeks at $3,000–$6,000.
High-impression surgery searches to compare next
Surgery cost searches Google is already testing
Hip, knee, cataract and hernia searches are appearing before dedicated AU procedure pages exist, so route them into the live waiting-time and private-surgery hubs.
Hip replacement cost and wait times
Public wait-time context and private-route cost questions for hip replacement.
Knee replacement cost and wait times
Public waiting times and the private cost components to check before booking.
Cataract surgery cost Australia
Surgeon fee, hospital fee, anaesthetist, lens choice and insurance gap checks.
Hernia operation cost questions
Surgeon, anaesthetist, hospital and insurance-gap questions for private surgery quotes.
Public vs private decision searches
These pages support people comparing public waiting lists with private payment routes.
Private surgery cost Australia
How surgeon fees, hospital cover, anaesthetist gaps and prostheses affect the bill.
Public vs private cataracts
Compare public waiting-list access with private cataract pricing and lens options.
Elective surgery waiting times
AIHW waiting-time context for cataract, hip, knee, hernia and other procedures.
Related
Waiting time data from AIHW MyHospitals (2024-25). Median days waiting for elective surgery on the public hospital waiting list. Private costs are estimates from published provider pricing. Actual costs depend on surgeon fees, hospital, anaesthetist, and private health insurance cover.