How much does a colonoscopy cost in Brisbane?

Transparent pricing

The short answer

The cost of a colonoscopy in Brisbane depends on three things: whether you have private health insurance, which hospital or day surgery you attend, and whether the procedure is screening (preventative) or diagnostic (investigating symptoms or a positive FOBT). This page sets out exactly what you’ll pay at Colonoscopy Brisbane — with no surprises. If you have any question about your specific situation, call us on (07) 3733 1551 and we’ll give you a written quote before you commit.

Our fees — privately insured patients (no-gap)

Colonoscopy Brisbane is a no-gap provider with most major Australian health funds. This means we accept whatever your health fund pays for the procedure as full settlement of Dr Goutham’s specialist fee — you don’t receive a separate out-of-pocket bill from us. Every procedure is performed personally by Dr Goutham, never delegated.

“No-gap” means we accept what your private health fund pays for our surgical fee as full payment — you pay no out-of-pocket fee to the surgeon. This is different from “known-gap” (a small known fee). No-gap does not cover the anaesthetist’s fee, any hospital excess, or pathology if biopsies are taken — see below.

No insurance? No problem

Our fees — self-funded patients (uninsured)

For patients without private health insurance, we offer fixed, all-inclusive self-funded pricing at select partner hospitals, subject to meeting facility-specific safety and eligibility criteria. These fixed prices cover the total cost of your procedure — the hospital facility fee, the specialist’s fee and the anaesthetist’s fee:

These fixed prices assume the patient holds a valid Medicare card. A separate pre-procedure consultation applies (see consultations above) and is eligible for a Medicare rebate, helping reduce your overall out-of-pocket cost. Our team confirms your eligibility and suitability before booking so your procedure is performed safely in the most appropriate setting.

How this compares: privately funded colonoscopy across Australia typically ranges from about $2,500 to $5,000 all-up. At other providers you might see a facility fee of $1,500–$3,500 and a separate anaesthetist fee of $400–$800. Our fixed package is deliberately more competitive — and you know the full figure before you book.

What you’ll still pay separately

Even when our surgical fee is no-gap, a colonoscopy bill in Brisbane usually has three or four separate components. It’s important to understand each so there are no surprises:

• Hospital excess — typically $250–$750 depending on your policy. Your health fund will quote this; some policies waive it for day procedures.
• Anaesthetist’s fee — usually no-gap with most funds, but check. If there is a gap, it’s typically $100–$300. This is a separate invoice and varies between anaesthetists.
• Pathology — if polyps or biopsies are removed and sent for analysis, a private lab bills separately. Most pathology providers bulk-bill via Medicare.

We provide a written estimate of every fee component before you book, so you can decide with full information.

Health funds we work with as a no-gap provider

Bupa, Medibank, HCF, nib, AHM, Australian Unity, GMHBA, HBF, Defence Health, Doctors’ Health Fund, GU Health, Latrobe, Police Health, Teachers Health, Mildura Health Fund, Westfund, CBHS, Phoenix Health, RT Health, See-Direct, and most other major funds. If your fund isn’t listed, call us — we can usually find a no-gap pathway.

What’s actually in the bill?

A colonoscopy bill usually has these components — here’s who each is paid to:

• Specialist surgical fee — paid to the surgeon performing the procedure. At our clinic this is no-gap for most insured patients.
• Anaesthetic fee — paid to the specialist anaesthetist who keeps you safely sedated. A separate invoice that varies between anaesthetists.
• Hospital or day-surgery fee — paid to the facility; covered by your private health fund if you have hospital cover.
• Pathology fee — if biopsies or polyps are taken, a private lab analyses them. Most pathology providers accept the Medicare rebate as full payment.

Medicare item numbers — what they mean

If you’ve been quoted “MBS 32222” or “MBS 32223”, these are the Medicare Benefits Schedule item numbers for colonoscopy. The number used depends on your clinical reason for the procedure:

Medicare also rebates the specialist consultation (item 104 for the first appointment, 105 for subsequent). For Medicare to apply you must have a valid GP referral. Your referral should specify the clinical indication — if unsure, call our rooms and we’ll work it out with you.

Positive FOBT or NBCSP? Your pathway

If you’ve received a positive FOBT result through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (the free at-home test kit sent to Australians aged 45–74), you’re eligible for a follow-up colonoscopy. This is treated as a diagnostic procedure, so Medicare rebates apply.

• If you’re insured: your colonoscopy at Colonoscopy Brisbane is no-gap for the surgeon’s fee.
• If you’re self-funded: our fixed-price options above apply, with the diagnostic Medicare rebate reducing your out-of-pocket cost.

A positive FOBT needs timely follow-up — if yours is positive, talk to us about getting booked promptly. Learn more about bowel cancer screening in Brisbane.

Why do some clinics charge a gap?

Not all gastroenterologists are no-gap providers. Some charge fees above what health funds will pay, which leaves you with an out-of-pocket “gap” — often $200–$800 on top of your hospital excess. Colonoscopy Brisbane has chosen to participate in no-gap schemes with all major funds because we believe transparent, predictable pricing matters. You should know exactly what you’re paying before the procedure — not receive a surprise bill afterwards.

Private vs public — what should you choose?

If your symptoms are urgent — rectal bleeding, suspected cancer, a positive FOBT — the public system in Queensland prioritises you well; Category 1 patients are typically seen within 30 days at major Brisbane public hospitals.

If your situation is screening-only or lower-urgency, public-system waits stretch from 3 months to over a year depending on the hospital. Private care eliminates that wait and is typically no-gap if you have appropriate hospital cover. If you’re uninsured and cost matters more than the wait, public may be the right choice. If the wait matters and you have any private hospital cover, get a written quote — it’s often less expensive than people assume.

A note on rectal bleeding: bleeding should never be assumed to be “just haemorrhoids” without ruling out higher causes — especially if you are 45 or older, or have anaemia, weight loss, a change in bowel habit, or a family history of bowel cancer. If in doubt, get assessed.

About your specialist

Dr Goutham Sivasuthan is an Australian-trained Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS), with accreditation by the Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA) in both upper-GI endoscopy and colonoscopy. He completed his medical degree at the University of Queensland (UQ MBBS) and has performed many hundreds of colonoscopy and gastroscopy procedures across Brisbane’s leading private hospitals. Every procedure is performed personally by Dr Goutham.

Frequently asked questions about colonoscopy cost in Brisbane

Related information

Last medically reviewed by Dr Goutham Sivasuthan, FRACS — June 2026.