Private patients

Private patients are treated by their nominated doctor(s) – provided that the doctor(s) has the right to practise at the hospital – and are responsible for paying for:

hospital accommodation fees
charges for all medical and diagnostic services
prostheses
dental fees
other related services.

The Department of Health and Human Services sets out principles to govern care of people who elect to be treated as a private patient in a public hospital.

See Private patients: principles for public health services.

General information about private patients

Private health insurance may pay all or part of a private patient's healthcare costs in Victoria's hospitals and health services.

Overnight stays

The Commonwealth determines the minimum benefits to be charged for shared room accommodation. Health services make their own determination on fees to be charged for shared and single room fees to charge private patients based on the actual cost of providing accommodation.