Cataract surgery

Information on prepping, recovery and costs for cataract surgery

What is cataract surgery?

A cataract occurs when the lens of the eye, which is naturally clear, becomes cloudy. During cataract procedures, a surgeon removes the cloudy lens and replaces it with an artificial one. If your treating doctor has recommended cataract surgery as an option, get in touch to check it’s included in your cover. And, remember: the earlier you contact us, the more support and options we can provide.

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What are your public and private hospital options for cataract surgery?

We look at how the private and public systems compare when it comes to out-of-pocket costs, waiting times and choice of specialist.

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What out-of-pocket costs can you expect for cataract surgery?

Get an overview of the out-of-pocket costs associated with cataract surgery so you know what to expect.

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Preparing and recovering from cataract surgery

Tips and information to help you before and after cataract surgery.

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How you can reduce your out-of-pocket expenses

A few handy tips to help you keep your out-of-pocket costs down.

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How to choose a specialist

One of the biggest benefits of being treated in the private system is that you get to choose your own specialist – here’s how to pick the right one for you.  

Find a specialist

Take the guesswork out of choosing a specialist. Use our Find a provider tool to find out how much and how often, a specialist charges out-of-pocket costs.

Health support and services when you go to hospital

As a Medibank member, you get more than just health insurance. We deliver a range of health services to support our members through a hospital admission.

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24/7 Medibank Nurse Support

Medibank members with health insurance can chat to a registered nurse over the phone or online, any time of the day or night at no extra cost.~

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Health concierge

Health Concierge provides personalised health support to help eligible Medibank hospital members prepare for, or recover from, a hospital stay or treatment.#

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CareComplete

CareComplete programs provide extra support and personalised care to eligible Medibank hospital members when they need it most. We work in partnership with your GPs and health care team to help you access the right support and resources you need to help you manage your condition better and improve your overall health.^

Medibank has a wide range of health support and wellbeing programs for eligible members going to hospital, including a digital health concierge and hospital experience scores.

Help the way you want it

Contact Medibank when and how it suits you; online 24/7, in store, by phone, or through the My Medibank app.

Call us on 132 331

Speak to one of our friendly staff about your cover and going to hospital.

24/7 chat online

Chat to our friendly staff online anytime for advice and help with your health cover.

Login to My Medibank

Manage your cover on the go via My Medibank or via the app.

Looking for something else?

Visit our Hospital Assist homepage for a range of tools and advice to help you at every stage of your hospital journey.

Things you need to know

# Health Concierge is available to all eligible Medibank members who hold hospital cover. Excludes Overseas Visitor Health Cover, Working Visa Health Cover and Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).

~ Some referred services may involve out of pocket costs and waiting periods may apply.

^ Available in most major metropolitan and regional areas. Not available in the Northern Territory.

While we hope you find this information helpful, please note that it is general in nature. It is not health advice, and is not tailored to meet your individual health needs. You should always consult a trusted health professional before making decisions about your health care. While we have prepared the information carefully, we can’t guarantee that it is accurate, complete or up-to-date. And while we may mention goods or services provided by others, we aren’t specifically endorsing them and can’t accept responsibility for them. For these reasons we are unable to accept responsibility for any loss that may be sustained from acting on this information (subject to applicable consumer guarantees).