What Does Rhinoplasty Cost in Australia?

http://www.costhetics.com.au/plastic-surgery/what-does-rhinoplasty-cost-in-australia/

Rhinoplasty is the second most popular cosmetic surgery in the world. If you have ever considered having this procedure, you know how difficult it is to find out what it will cost before you book an initial consultation. This article helps unravel the knotty issue of the total costs of a rhinoplasty.

People have nose-reshaping surgery (rhinoplasty) for many reasons. A significant number have revision rhinoplasty surgeries. But if you have been thinking about having a nose job, you know it’s nearly impossible to find the real costs of rhinoplasty online. As with most other cosmetic surgery, to get a clear indication of the full costs of a rhinoplasty in Australia, you need to visit a surgeon—a surgeon who performs cosmetic nose reshaping procedures.

Why can’t you find the actual costs of rhinoplasty online or in advertisements? Medical service providers, including surgeons, are bound by the Australian Medical Board’s Guidelines for advertising of regulated health services. The Guidelines discourage advertisements that contain inexact price information or advertisements that provide a price and then list conditions or variables that can alter that price.

From a surgeon’s point of view, it is impossible to give a specific cost for any cosmetic procedure, because each individual’s needs are different. Providing a ballpark figure or a range of the costs you may have to pay for nose reshaping can also land them in trouble. This is why you don’t see surgeon’s websites, brochures or advertisements giving any indication of what the real costs are.

If you want to find out the costs of a rhinoplasty in any city in Australia, your best option is consulting a specialist rhinoplasty surgeon. It might be a good idea to have a consultation with more than one surgeon before making the decision to go ahead.

What makes up the total cost of a rhinoplasty?

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Surgeon’s fees – Range between $ 5,000 AUD and $ 15,000 AUD, depending on the exact procedure.
Anaesthetist’s fees – Approximately $ 1,250 AUD
Hospital costs – Approximately $ 1,500 AUD

Considering variations, you should be expecting to pay between $ 8,000 and $ 20,000 AUD

GST must be added to all costs quoted.

The wide variations in the costs of rhinoplasty quoted by different surgeons are because of combined variations in the above items.

Now let us look at each of these components in detail.

Surgeon’s fees

A rhinoplasty specialist or facial plastic surgeon’s fee usually includes the cost of the nose job, including pre-operative and post-operative care. That means you do not need to pay extra for a specified number of follow-up visits.

The surgeon’s fee for rhinoplasty depends on the surgeon you choose. The very wide range in fees reflects differences in surgeons’ expertise in nose reshaping surgery, professional qualifications, experience, professional recognition and popularity.

You should ensure sure you are choosing a surgeon with the requisite training for your rhinoplasty procedure.

Most surgeons say that rhinoplasty is one of the most difficult surgeries to perform. It is also one of a few cosmetic surgical procedures with high revision rates. This is because a nose job combines both science and art, and the smallest things can have huge repercussions, both positive and negative.

You may like to read the Costhetics article, Do Your Homework, before selecting a surgeon for your rhinoplasty oepration.

On another level, surgeon’s fees are also likely to differ based on where their offices and practices are located.

Your surgeon should provide you with a detailed breakdown of costs at the initial consultation.

Surgeon’s fees can go into multiple thousands, with very wide variation among different practitioners. Costhetics has seen surgeon’s fees ranging between $6,000 and $15,000.

Fees charged by individual surgeons also vary depending on the type of rhinoplasty procedure that is needed. This is fair enough, since more complex procedures require more expertise, skill and longer hours in the operating room.

Initial consultation fees

There will also be an initial consultation fee when you first see a surgeon regarding a rhinoplasty. Again, how much the initial consultation fee will be depends upon the surgeon.

Consultation fees can range between $100 (AUD) to $500 (AUD). If you see more than one surgeon, you will also have to pay a fee for each consultation.

Anaesthetist’s fee

Fees for the anaesthetist depend on their qualifications. Anaesthetists, just like most other professional medical specialists, do not have a standard scale of fees. However, according to the Australian Society of Anaesthetists, the fee charged by an anaesthetist is determined by the Medical Benefits Schedule (MBS) number or the Relative Value Guide (RVG) number

For cosmetic procedures the hourly charge for an anaesthetist is around $600-650 AUD. Nose surgery can take anywhere from one to three hours, so on average, you can expect the anaesthetist’s fee to be around $1,250 AUD.

Why should you want a qualified anaesthetist? The anaesthetist keeps watch over your life and vital functions during the time you are asleep. You want a qualified physician who knows the ins and outs of anaesthesia, trouble shooting and potential risks when you are undergoing general anaesthesia. Besides safety, the skill of your anaesthetist will be a factor in your comfort, both during and after the nose surgery procedure.

Most surgeons will only use a qualified anaesthetist, and their fees far exceed the fee charged by a regular doctor performing the same duty.

Hospital fees

Hospital fees vary significantly from facility to facility. You need to make sure you go to an accredited facility with well-trained staff and high standards. Most reputable surgeons use only such facilities.

The key element of the hospital cost is the operating theatre fees. Hospital fees can start at $1,500 (AUD) and vary widely, going into thousands of dollars over this figure.

Usually the hospital fees for a rhinoplasty procedure do not include an overnight stay. The fee most often quoted is the cost of a day procedure, which involves one to three hours in the operating theatre and the time it takes for you to recover from the effects of anaesthesia.

If an overnight stay is necessary, the costs may be higher.

Other costs

There may be other costs involved in having a rhinoplasty, over and above the key ones mentioned above.

Cost of medical tests, if any – It may be necessary for you to undergo certain medical tests before surgery, depending on your health and other medical conditions you have. It will be necessary to pay for them separately. You may also be required to have a CT scan to ascertain whether or not your septum is straight.
Cost of additional procedures – Additional procedures during the rhinoplasty surgery may involve additional costs. Some common additional procedures include a graft from another part of your body if you have requested any part of your nose to be made larger or changed dramatically. Your surgeon may also charge a supplementary cost for open nose operations, which require more time to perform.

Is the cost of rhinoplasty covered by insurance?

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That depends on why you need nose surgery. If your nose requires reconstruction because of trauma, functional problems, birth defects or breathing problems, there will be Medicare reimbursements to cover some of the costs.

If your surgery is undertaken purely for aesthetic reasons, it is classified as a cosmetic procedure. Medicare does not cover the costs of cosmetic surgery.

Whether your private insurance fund covers the costs of rhinoplasty depends on the type of cover you have. Some funds cover the hospital fees and a few other costs, depending on your policy. Whatever elements are not covered by private insurance are out-of-pocket payments for you. Before having the surgery, clarify with your insurance fund what exactly is and is not covered.

We hope this article gives you a better idea of the costs involved in nose reshaping surgery. We welcome your comments on this article.

Next: Read our detailed article on Rhinoplasty