The Women’s is a public healthcare facility for patients who meet the hospital access criteria. In addition to providing care to public patients, the Women’s provides care to patients without a Medicare card, patients from countries that have Reciprocal Health Care Agreements with Australia, asylum seekers and private patients.
Patients without a Medicare Card
If you are not eligible for Medicare you will be required to pay for all hospital services.
Patients who do not have a Medicare card or who are not eligible for Medicare benefits will need to organise payment with Patient Accounts before receiving care and services.
Charges may vary depending on the treatment provided and whether you are covered by an Australian Health Insurance Policy. Please note: If you are insured with an overseas insurance provider, you will be:
- classified as an uninsured patient, and
- be required to pay the fees outlined under uninsured patient fees, and
- will need to claim any reimbursement directly from your fund.
If you are a resident of a country that has a health care agreement with Australia (known as a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement) you may be entitled to limited subsidised health services for medically necessary treatment. It only applies to ill-health or injury which occurs while you are visiting Australia and requires treatment before you go home; it does not include planned or elective treatment. Visitors to Australia on student visas may not be eligible for Medicare assistance and may be required, as a condition of their student visa, to take out Overseas Student Health Cover.
Patients who may be eligible for reciprocal rights will also need to show a current passport or Reciprocal Health Care Card. Visitors from Belgium, the Netherlands and Slovenia may also be required to show a current European Health Insurance Card. (See Patient Accounts)
For any enquiries regarding eligibility and applications for a Reciprocal Health Care Card, contact Medicare on 13 20 11.
If you are an asylum seeker or refugee, you are entitled to free medical care except for a small co-payment for outpatient medications and medications on discharge.
Before your first appointment or treatment, you will need to provide supporting documentation confirming your status from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship or from a recognised asylum support agency such as Red Cross or IHMS. If the documentation is not produced, you will be billed; however, the fees will be waived if the documents are shown to us at a later date. (See Patient Accounts).
A general guide to costs
If you are not eligible for Medicare, you will be required to pay for all hospital services. Charges may vary depending on the treatment provided and whether you are covered by an Australian Health Insurance Policy. If you are insured with an overseas insurance provider, please see the uninsured fees listed on this page for the relevant service you are seeking care for. Alternatively, please see our fee sheet for more information.
Please note: The charges outlined are given as a general guide only and will sometimes change without notice.
The below fees apply from 01/07/2026. For fees applicable prior to this date, please contact patient accounts.
| Emergeny services | |
|---|---|
| Emergency attendance | $650 per visit |
| Same day admission, excluding surgical | $2,200 per day |
| Outpatient services | |
|---|---|
| Outpatient specialist clinics appointments – all specialties (in person/video/phone) |
$460 per visit |
| Allied health appointments – all specialties (in person/video/phone) |
$240 per visit |
| Diabetes education – initial education session | $150 |
| Diabetes education – follow-up (in person/video/phone) |
$100 per visit |
| Childbirth education – total for 2 x 4 hour sessions | $500 |
| Adults – Bed fees/accommodation | |
|---|---|
| Maternity – birthing (includes 1 night) | $4,800 per day |
| Maternity – overnight (non-birthing) | $4,300 per night |
| Maternity – same day (non-birthing) | $2,200 per day |
| Medical – same day | $2,200 per day |
| Medical – overnight | $2,400 per night |
| Surgical – same day | $2,500 per day |
| Surgical – overnight | $2,700 per night |
| Complex Care Unit | $4,000 per day |
| Intensive Care Unit at The Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) | Charged directly by RMH |
| Neonatal services | |
|---|---|
| Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) – 0 to 4 days | $6,000 per day |
| Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) – 5+ days | $5,300 per day |
| Special Care Nursery | $4,400 per day |
| Other charges | |
|---|---|
| Medical fees (including anaesthetics) | Full cost |
| Prosthesis | Full cost |
| Ultrasound | $280 per service |
| MRI | Adult $450 Foetal $880 |
| Other imaging | 100% MBS |
| Theatre fees | Full cost |
| Pathology | Full cost |
| Pharmaceutical | Full cost |
| Hospital in the Home (HITH) | $700 per visit |
| Domiciliary visits | $175 per visit |
| Interpreter service | $170 per service |
Uninsured Maternity Fee
If you are uninsured for pregnancy care and the birth of your baby, the Uninsured Maternity Fee bundles the cost of most hospital services as a maternity patient. The fee includes medical (doctor) invoices, outpatient appointments, admissions related to pregnancy, pathology, theatre, pharmacy, and postnatal care in the home services (up to two visits only).
| Maternity package | |
|---|---|
| Full package for uninsured patients | $19,750 |
Please note this fee does not include:
- the costs of routine blood and urine tests required before your first appointment, routine ultrasounds and the 18-20 week gestation ultrasound are not included in the fee. Please contact your GP to arrange these tests.
- attendances to the emergency department.
- medical imaging services including pregnancy ultrasounds.
- the costs of your baby’s care if your baby requires admission or treatment.
- childbirth Education classes.
- more than two postnatal care in the home appointments ($175 per visit).
For details of our fees, please contact Patient Accounts.
Private patients
You may choose to be a private patient at the Women’s under the care of a specialist who has admitting rights at the Women’s, provided you meet the hospital's access criteria.
We unfortunately cannot accept all private patient requests. To understand whether you meet the hospital access criteria, please contact us.
Contact the Private Patient Liaison Officer:
- (03) 8345 2929
- 0412 101 931
Your local doctor may help you to choose a specialist at the Women's and can provide a referral. Alternately, you may search for a doctor by using the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists website.
If you choose to be a private patient at the Women’s, this does not entitle you to a single room or to be prioritised for surgery based on your private status. Single rooms are allocated to women with medical or clinical reasons and surgery is based on clinical urgency.
Please check with your private health insurance fund to understand what is covered and with your specialist and the Private Patient Liaison Officer at the Women’s, as to whether you can expect out of pockets for the following range of services:
- hospital admission
- medical fees
- diagnostic fees (ultrasound and blood tests)
- prostheses.
For more information regarding private obstetric care, please see our fee sheet. For any further questions or enquiries regarding private gynaecology care, please contact the Private Patient Liaison Officer on 03 8345 2929
Related information
Downloads and Related Topics
Date reviewed: 28 August 2025
Date reviewed: 28 August 2025