Frequently Asked Questions

A referral is required if you wish to claim a rebate from Medicare for your consultation or surgery.

It is not necessary to have a referral to see Dr O’Mahony for cosmetic surgery. Cosmetic surgery procedures do not attract a Medicare rebate.

Outpatient services such as consultations, minor procedures, pathology and radiology tests are not usually covered by Health Insurance, although some costs can be claimed through Medicare.

If your question is not answered here, please do not hesitate to ask Dr O’Mahony via our contact us page.

When you come to Dr O’Mahony’s office please bring your referral and any relevant scans or X-rays. If you are taking medications (including herbal remedies or vitamins) it is very helpful if you can bring a list of these medications with you.

If your question is not answered here, please do not hesitate to ask Dr O’Mahony via our contact us page.

How much will my surgery cost?

When you are considering Surgery with Dr O’Mahony her office will always provide you with a written quotation for your proposed surgery after your consultation. If your surgery involves removal of a lesion the pre-operative quote may be approximate because the exact fee cannot be set until the pathology result is known. Estimated hospital costs are provided in the quotation, however it does not take into account any excess or co-payment required by some Health Fund policies. It is your responsibility to confirm this with your Health Fund Provider.

For procedures under sedation or general anaesthetic, the Specialist Anaesthetist working with Dr O’Mahony will send you a separate quotation of their fee.

 Will my health fund cover the costs of surgery?

If your surgery is not purely cosmetic a claim can usually be made on your Health Fund. Unfortunately there is no uniformity among Health Insurance Providers in Australia, and each Health Fund’s individual policies vary greatly in the rebates they pay their customers for medical procedures. Some policies will cover most or all of your surgical costs whereas others will cover a much smaller proportion for the same surgery. You may be required to make an additional out of pocket ‘Gap’ payment. Furthermore, some policies exclude certain procedures such as Reconstructive Plastic Surgery. It is your responsibility to check the quote with your Health Fund so you know what your policy covers, and if you can expect any out of pocket costs, prior to proceeding with surgery.

If you require pathology or radiology tests as part of your treatment you may receive a separate bill from these specialists.

 How much do cosmetic procedures cost?

There is no Medicare or Health Fund rebate for purely cosmetic procedures. The costs of surgery include Dr O’Mahony’s surgical fee, any implants used and the hospital and anaesthetic costs. A quote will be provided to you after your consultation and the anaesthetist will send a separate quote. Because every patient’s requirements for surgery are different Dr O’Mahony does not supply quotations over the telephone without first consulting with you, performing an examination of the area requiring surgery and assessing your individual needs.

 If I have more questions?

Please do not hesitate to ask Dr O’Mahony or her staff if you have any queries about fees.

If your question is not answered here, please do not hesitate to ask Dr O’Mahony via our contact us page.

If your surgery is not purely cosmetic a claim can usually be made on your Health Fund for surgery and any inpatient costs. Dr O’Mahony ‘s office will always send you a written quotation of the estimated surgical fee after your consultation. For procedures under sedation or general anaesthetic, the Specialist Anaesthetist working with Dr O’Mahony will send you a separate quotation of their fee.

Unfortunately there is no uniformity among Health Insurance Providers in Australia, and each Health Fund’s individual policies vary greatly in the rebates they pay their customers for medical procedures. Some policies will cover most or all of your surgical costs whereas others will cover a much smaller proportion for the same surgery. In this case you may be required to make an additional out of pocket ‘Gap’ payment. Furthermore, some policies exclude certain procedures such as Reconstructive Plastic Surgery. It is your responsibility to check the quote with your Health Fund so you know what your policy covers you for and if you will have any out of pocket costs, prior to proceeding with surgery.

If you require pathology or radiology tests as part of your treatment you may receive a separate bill from these specialists.

If your question is not answered here, please do not hesitate to ask Dr O’Mahony via our contact us page.

A Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon is a highly trained Medical Specialist who performs Reconstructive and Aesthetic (Cosmetic) Plastic Surgery.

In Australia there is only one route by which a Doctor can qualify as a Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon, and this is through the Specialist Training program administered by The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS). This College is the only body accredited to award the title of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon. The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons with the Australian Medical Council also have a process through which overseas trained Specialists can apply to be recognised as Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons.

Selection onto the training program in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is highly competitive, with only a small number of Doctors chosen each year. The program is extremely rigorous, with candidates being intensively trained and frequently examined in all aspects of Plastic Surgery, both Reconstructive and Cosmetic. At the culmination of this program, trainee Plastic Surgeons sit a series of gruelling exams, before they can be awarded their ‘Fellowship’, or qualification as a Surgeon, and the right to use the suffix FRACS (Plast) after their name.

Only qualified Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons are then entitled to join the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the national representative body of the specialty. They are also legally recognised as Specialists by Medicare Australia and the Health Insurance Funds and only operate in fully accredited Hospitals and Day Surgery Facilities, which allows their patients to claim rebates for eligible procedures.

Once qualified, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons must show evidence of participation in ongoing Medical Education and Training in order to retain their Specialist status.

To be certain that you are consulting a fully qualified Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon for your Plastic or Cosmetic Surgery, look for the qualification ‘FRACS (Plast)’ and membership of ASPS.

More information on the training and qualifications required of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons can be found by following these links:

Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS): www.plasticsurgery.org.au 
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS): www.surgeons.org
Australian Medical Council (AMC) www.amc.org.au

If your question is not answered here, please do not hesitate to ask Dr O’Mahony via our contact us page.

A fully qualified Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon is also a qualified ‘Cosmetic’ Surgeon. However, a number of non-Specialist Doctors promote ‘Cosmetic Surgery’ despite not being formally trained as Surgeons. Some of these Doctors advertise widely, may quote a variety of surgical ‘qualifications’ and perform cosmetic surgery procedures such as Breast Augmentation. Naturally this can cause confusion amongst patients who are considering Cosmetic Plastic Surgery. For your own peace of mind and protection the only way to know you are in the hands of a fully qualified Specialist Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon is to ensure they hold a Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and are members of The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

More information on the training and qualifications required of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons can be found by following these links:

Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS): www.plasticsurgery.org.au 
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS): www.surgeons.org

If your question is not answered here, please do not hesitate to ask Dr O’Mahony via our contact us page.

Craniofacial Surgery, or Craniomaxillofacial Surgery, is a subspecialty of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, requiring 2 years of additional training and examinations. This is quite distinct from ‘Maxillofacial Surgery’, which is a subspecialty of Dental Surgery.

Craniofacial Surgeons perform complex reconstructive operations involving the skull, the bones of the face and the soft tissues of the face.

Most patients undergoing Craniomaxillofacial surgery have some form of congenital deformity or asymmetry, have been treated for tumours, or have suffered facial trauma.

Dr O’Mahony specialises in both adult and paediatric Craniofacial Surgery, and has a special interest in the treatment of Cleft Lip and Palate. Her subspecialty qualification in Craniomaxillofacial Surgery also compliments her interest in all forms of Facial Plastic Surgery, both reconstructive and cosmetic.

Please follow the links on the Home page to find out more about individual procedures.

If your question is not answered here, please do not hesitate to ask Dr O’Mahony via our contact us page.