Weight Loss Treatment Cost in Australia

In Australia, the cost of weight loss treatment is the provider's consultation and follow-up fees, plus any tests and any treatment a practitioner decides suits you. A treatment that is not listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for your condition costs the full price, and a PBS subsidy applies only where a treatment is PBS-listed for your condition and you meet any set criteria. So the total depends on each provider's fees and on whether a treatment is PBS-listed for you. A bulk-billed visit costs you nothing for that service.

This is general information, not financial or medical advice. Fees change, cover depends on your circumstances and your policy, and outcomes vary between individuals.

On this page

1. Key Points
2. What Makes Up the Cost of Weight Loss Treatment
3. Weight Loss Treatment Cost Table
4. What Medicare, the PBS and Private Health Cover
5. How to Work Out Your Yearly Cost
6. Questions to Ask Before You Sign Up
7. Lower-Cost Parts of a Weight Loss Plan
8. How Costs Work at Burst Health
9. Frequently Asked Questions

Key Points

• The total cost is several items added together: consultations, follow-ups, tests, any treatment, and support such as a dietitian.

• Medicare pays a benefit for many doctor visits and tests, and you pay any gap the provider charges above it.

• A PBS co-payment applies only where a treatment is PBS-listed for your condition. Otherwise, you pay the full price.

• Extras cover in private health insurance may help with a dietitian or exercise physiologist, depending on your policy.

• Weight management is long-term care, so compare the cost over a year, not just the first month.

• A healthy diet and regular physical activity are part of every plan, and some of that costs very little.

What Makes Up the Cost of Weight Loss Treatment

Weight loss support in Australia comes from several kinds of service: accredited practising dietitians, GPs, commercial weight loss programs, meal replacement programs and kilojoule-controlled meal services (Better Health Channel). A medical weight loss service led by doctors or nurse practitioners adds a clinical assessment and follow-up. For the steps involved, see how medical weight loss programs work.

Whatever the service, the bill is usually built from the same parts:

• The first consultation. A doctor or nurse practitioner assesses your health history, your measurements and what you have tried before. For what that covers, see what happens at a weight loss consultation.

• Follow-up consultations. Regular reviews check progress and side effects and adjust the plan. Ask whether they are included in a plan fee or charged each time.

• Tests. A practitioner may ask for blood tests or other checks before deciding anything.

• Treatment, if a practitioner decides it suits you. Weight loss medication is only one option, and only a registered practitioner can decide whether it is appropriate after an individual assessment. It is used alongside a healthy diet and more physical activity. It has side effects and can be harmful for some people, so it is not right for everyone (healthdirect). For background, see what weight loss medication is and how it works and who may be suitable for weight loss treatment.

• Support from other health professionals. A dietitian, exercise physiologist or psychologist may be part of the plan.

• Delivery and other extras. Ask whether delivery, programs or products are charged on top.

Obesity is a long-term condition that needs ongoing care. Australian guidance notes that weight loss medication, where it is used, will usually be needed long term, and that data on how well it works and on its harms over the long term are still limited (Australian Obesity Management Algorithm, 2024). That is why the yearly cost is a better guide than the price of a first visit. For more on timing, see what to expect over the first months of treatment and what happens when you stop weight loss medication.

Weight Loss Treatment Cost Table

Prices are set by each provider and change over time, so the table shows where Medicare, the PBS or private health insurance can help. Not all health services are covered by Medicare, so ask each provider whether its consultations attract a benefit, and ask for its fees in writing. The PBS amount applies only where a treatment is PBS-listed for your condition.

General information only, from the sources listed under References. Cover depends on your circumstances and your policy.

What Medicare, the PBS and Private Health Cover

Medicare

Medicare benefits are based on a schedule fee set by the Australian Government, and a doctor can choose to charge more than that fee. The difference between the doctor's fee and the Medicare benefit is your gap, or out-of-pocket cost. If a doctor bulk bills, they accept the Medicare benefit as full payment and you pay nothing for that service. Not every practitioner bulk bills, so ask before you book (healthdirect).

As an example of the schedule, a GP visit at the practice lasting 6 to 20 minutes (MBS item 23) has a schedule fee of $45.05, and Medicare pays all of it as the benefit (Medicare Benefits Schedule, fee updated 1 July 2026). Other consultation types and lengths have their own items and amounts, and these figures do not tell you what any one provider charges.

Medicare can also help with allied health care. With a GP referral and a care plan for a chronic condition, Medicare helps pay for up to 5 allied health services a year, such as an exercise physiologist or dietitian, if you are eligible. For a dietitian visit of at least 20 minutes under a GP chronic condition management plan (MBS item 10954), the schedule fee is $74.55 and the Medicare benefit is $63.40, and the dietitian can charge more (Medicare Benefits Schedule, fee updated 1 July 2026). Without a referral, you may pay the full cost yourself.

The PBS

The PBS covers part of the cost of listed treatments, but many PBS-listed treatments can only be supplied under the PBS for people with specific medical conditions who meet set criteria. Where a treatment is PBS-listed for your condition, from 1 January 2026 a general patient can be charged a co-payment of up to $25.00 each time it is dispensed, and a concession card holder up to $7.70. Pharmacies can add some fees on top, such as a delivery or after-hours fee or a brand premium (PBS). Otherwise, you pay the full price, so ask the pharmacist what it will cost.

As at 1 October 2026, no weight loss medication was listed on the general PBS for weight management (Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits, October 2026). The Repatriation PBS for eligible veterans is a separate scheme with its own rules, so veterans can ask their pharmacist.

Private health insurance

Private health insurance does not cover visits to your GP, or visits with specialists in their rooms (healthdirect). Extras cover may pay part of the cost of a dietitian or exercise physiologist, depending on your policy. The Australian Government's summary of cover says private health insurance can cover many treatments that are not on the PBS, usually with a co-payment and a limit on claims. It does not list cover for PBS-listed treatments or for tests outside hospital (privatehealth.gov.au). If you pay the full price for a treatment, check your policy to see whether it pays towards it.

For a fuller guide to all three, see what Medicare and private health cover can pay for.

How to Work Out Your Yearly Cost

One fee on its own shows only part of the total. A simple way to compare services is to count one year of care, then use each provider's written fees. Fill in the right-hand column for each service you are considering.

Multiply each count by the fee, then take off any Medicare benefit, PBS subsidy or insurer benefit that applies. Finally, check the exit terms: any minimum term, cancellation fee or notice period, and what happens to the cost if you pause.

For example, a service with one monthly plan fee that includes its follow-ups bills 12 plan fees in a year. A service that charges per visit, with a follow-up each month, bills 1 first consultation and 11 follow-ups, with any treatment on top. This is arithmetic only: it does not describe any real provider, and outcomes vary between individuals.

Questions to Ask Before You Sign Up

A good weight management service gives details of all fees and costs of additional items, and clear information on its refund policy. The Better Health Channel advises against signing up with a service that is not clear about either. Before you agree to anything, ask for written answers to these questions:

• What is the fee for the first consultation, and is it charged if the practitioner decides treatment is not right for you?

• Are follow-up consultations included, or charged each time? How often are they?

• Is any treatment priced separately from the consultations, and how much is it a month?

• Are tests, delivery or support from a dietitian charged on top?

• Do you bulk bill, and will I have any out-of-pocket costs after the Medicare benefit?

• Is there a minimum term or a lock-in, and how do I pause or cancel?

• What does the refund policy cover?

It is also worth speaking with your GP before you start any weight loss program, especially if you already take medication or have a health condition (Better Health Channel).

Lower-Cost Parts of a Weight Loss Plan

Every plan is built on a healthy diet and regular physical activity, and some of that costs very little. A healthy diet is built around a wide variety of foods from the five food groups, with plenty of water (Eat for Health). Walking is essentially free: you need good walking shoes, and they do not need to be an expensive brand. For a simple activity target, see how many steps a day to lose weight.

Other low-cost support includes:

• A GP who bulk bills. Your usual GP can discuss weight loss options or refer you to a dietitian.

• Medicare-supported allied health. A GP referral and an eligible care plan can reduce the cost of a dietitian or exercise physiologist (see the Medicare section above).

• Free coaching. People in New South Wales can call GetHealthy NSW on 1300 806 258 for free phone-based health coaching.

For a step-by-step plan built on everyday changes, see how to lose weight.

How Costs Work at Burst Health

Burst Health offers telehealth consultations for weight loss with registered Australian doctors and nurse practitioners. Any treatment is provided only where a practitioner considers it suitable for you, and outcomes vary between individuals. For the steps, see how online weight loss consultations work.

Burst Health's service works like this:

• Online assessment. You complete a brief online assessment, and a doctor or nurse practitioner calls you to discuss it.

• Consultation fee. The consultation is included in the treatment price.

• No PBS subsidy. Weight loss treatment is priced privately, because no weight loss medication is on the general PBS for weight management (see the PBS section above).

• Cancelling or pausing. Burst Health's terms and conditions explain how to cancel or pause.

• Bulk billing. Burst Health does not bulk bill. Burst Health's FAQs note that bulk billing by telehealth is only available after an in-person consultation with that GP in the last 12 months.

Ask Burst Health about the full cost of any treatment before you agree to it.

Before any cost applies, Burst Health provides medical weight loss plans online only after an Australian-registered doctor or nurse practitioner has reviewed your health, so the first step is to check whether you are eligible.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does weight loss treatment cost a month?

There is no single monthly figure. The cost depends on the provider's consultation and follow-up fees, any tests, and whether a practitioner decides treatment suits you. A treatment that is not PBS-listed for your condition costs the full price, while one that is PBS-listed for you costs a capped co-payment each time it is dispensed, plus any pharmacy fees. Ask each provider for its full monthly cost in writing.

What is the lowest-cost way to get weight loss support?

Start with the basics: a healthy diet and regular physical activity are the base of every plan. A GP who bulk bills can assess your health and refer you to a dietitian or exercise physiologist. Ask your GP whether a care plan applies to you, because it can bring a Medicare benefit for those visits, and ask each provider whether it charges a gap.

Is it worth going to a weight loss clinic?

It depends on your health and your needs. A good service aims to improve your overall health, suits your individual needs, includes regular physical activity and balanced eating, welcomes input from your GP, and is clear about every fee and its refund policy. Your GP is another place to start, and outcomes vary between individuals whichever route you choose.

Does Medicare cover weight loss programs?

Partly: Medicare pays a benefit for eligible consultations with doctors and for many tests, and a GP referral with an eligible care plan can bring a benefit for some allied health visits. A doctor can charge more than the schedule fee, so ask each program what you will pay after any Medicare benefit, and whether it bulk bills.

What can I do if I cannot afford weight loss surgery?

As a public patient in a public hospital, you do not pay for your treatment, although waiting times for planned surgery can be long. Ask your GP whether surgery suits you and whether a public referral is possible for you. Private hospital cover helps with your costs as a private patient, depending on your policy. See how bariatric surgery compares with other weight loss treatment.

References

• healthdirect. Medicare.

• healthdirect. Bulk billing for medical services.

• healthdirect. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

• Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits: fees and patient contributions.

• Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits, 1 October 2026 (pbs.gov.au).

• healthdirect. Private health insurance.

• Australian Government, privatehealth.gov.au. What is covered.

• Medicare Benefits Schedule. Item 23.

• Medicare Benefits Schedule. Item 10954.

• healthdirect. Dietitians.

• healthdirect. Exercise physiologist.

• healthdirect. Obesity.

• healthdirect. Walking for exercise.

• Better Health Channel (Victorian Government). Weight management services.

• Markovic TP, et al. The Australian Obesity Management Algorithm: a simple tool to guide the management of obesity in primary care (July 2024).

• Eat for Health (NHMRC). Australian dietary guidelines 1 to 5.

This article is general information only and does not replace individual medical or financial advice. Please speak with a registered Australian healthcare practitioner about your own circumstances.