An American has been stunned to learn that Australians don’t have to pay for a “life-changing” surgery that she paid thousands for.
The LA-based health influencer, who goes by the handle YourFrendo, recently had endometriosis excision surgery in the US.
She told Yahoo Lifestyle she paid $5,760 for the surgery, on top of her $1,295 monthly insurance bill.
One in seven Australian women has the condition, with the procedure designed to reduce sufferers’ pain and restore their quality of life by removing internal lesions.
She was astounded to learn that Australians usually don’t pay out-of-pocket expenses for the surgery if they are treated in the public system.
“The idea that whatever your doctor recommends for Australians is covered by your healthcare tax, no matter, what, is really a wonderful thing,” she told Yahoo Lifestyle.
The American spoke out about the realisation to show others how the American system compares to others around the world.
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“It’s a basic human right, and I wish the US would realise this too,” she said.
How does endometriosis excision surgery work in Australia?
Endometriosis a condition where cells similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus.
It can envelop the ovaries and fallopian tubes and even affect nearby organs, including the bowel and bladder.
It can cause severe and ongoing pain, with more than 40,000 people being hospitalised for the condition in 2021 to 2022, as well as inflammation and infertility.
In Australia, people can get treatment for endometriosis through either the public or private system.
But the freebie can typically be found in one of those systems.
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Endometriosis can cause debilitating pain for sufferers, with one in seven Aussie women having the condition. Source: Getty
(Antonio Hugo Photo via Getty Images)
“Australia has one of the best health care systems in the world,” a spokesperson for the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing told Yahoo Lifestyle.
“Under Medicare, most surgeries and procedures are free for public patients in public hospitals.”
The government also pledged $723 million in last year’s budget towards a women’s health package, with part of those funds going towards establishing, extending, and expanding the scope of 33 endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics.
In the private sector, close to 7,000 procedures were done in 2024 to 2025, with the average gap payment being $1,850.
According to Endometriosis Australia, only one in 10 Aussies self-funded their endometriosis incision surgery.
Endometriosis is becoming a bigger problem in Australia, with one in seven Australians with uteruses now affected, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
That’s up from one in nine in 2019.
Aussies’ experiences in dealing with endometriosis
The endometriosis advocate’s video on TikTok sparked a wave of comments from Aussies who have gone through the same surgery and relished in not having to pay for it.
Some even joked that the only thing they had to fork out for was the hospital amenities.
“My wife’s endo surgery cost me closer to $150 by the time I parked and bought myself lunch,” one said.
“I went full private,” added another.
“The surgeon cost me $300 and the anaesthetist $230. All other fees covered by private health insurance and parking were free.”
“I pay $64 a fortnight for my private health [insurance] and I’ve had four surgeries for my endometriosis and yes I can confirm, I only pay for parking,” wrote a third.
One claimed they made money by getting their endometriosis surgery because they received a $20 voucher for the hospital cafeteria.
The AIHW said the average wait time for cystoscopies, hysteroscopy, dilation and curettage, and laparoscopy, which are all endometriosis-related elective surgeries, ranged from 24 days to 78 days.
However, the path to getting diagnosed with endometriosis in the first place can take some sufferers years.
According to Endometriosis Australia, the average time is six-and-a-half years.
Americans beg for a better healthcare system
The LA-based health influencer said she was happy for Australians and other parts of the world that had free healthcare.
“That’s why I wanted to post about it – to create awareness for other Americans that are struggling to pay their medical bills,” she told Yahoo Lifestyle.
She thought most Americans would be happy to pay a tax for healthcare, instead of expensive insurance premiums and medical bills.
“Insurance is randomly denying medications and treatments to save them money, and, as a result, even if we have insurance, sometimes Americans can’t even get access to the care that our doctors prescribe us,” she said.
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