A formal review provides a snapshot of the uptake of Medicare-subsidised bariatric surgery in Australia, four years after new MBS items were created.

The Medical Services Advisory Committee’s review shows that since the introduction of eight new or amended MBS items for the surgical treatment of obesity in 2013-14, the number of primary bariatric surgeries has risen from 17,762 to 23,828 and Medicare has spent $86 million on all services.

The results of the review also highlight that in the four-year period to 2016-17:

• Almost 48,000 patients had bariatric surgery in 2016-17 with just under half (21,411) had a primary service;
• Demand for gastric band adjustment fell;
• Sleeve gastrectomy became the most popular choice of surgery, with over 30,000 services claimed in Queensland and NSW alone;
• The most common primary bariatric surgery was sleeve gastrectomy, most often performed on women aged 35-54;
• The mean cost of sleeve gastrectomy is $2343, but operators can charge as much as $6000;
• Uninsured patients can pay up to $20,000 in out-of-pocket costs for bariatric surgery (this includes the cost of anaesthetist fees, theatre costs and hospital stays;
• The average cost of gastroplasty has fluctuated, doubling in 2015-16 to $2483 but then falling to $1552 the following year;
• The majority of surgeries (90%) are performed in Queensland, Victoria and NSW.