{"id":571440,"date":"2026-03-29T05:35:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-29T05:35:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/571440\/"},"modified":"2026-03-29T05:35:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-29T05:35:09","slug":"american-praises-australias-free-life-saving-endometriosis-surgery-after-her-5760-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/571440\/","title":{"rendered":"American praises Australia’s ‘free’ life-saving endometriosis surgery after her $5,760 bill"},"content":{"rendered":"

An American<\/a> has been stunned to learn that Australians don’t have to pay for a “life-changing”<\/a> surgery that she paid thousands for.<\/p>\n

The LA-based health influencer, who goes by the handle YourFrendo, recently had endometriosis excision surgery<\/a> in the US.<\/p>\n

She told Yahoo Lifestyle she paid $5,760 for the surgery, on top of her $1,295 monthly insurance bill.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

“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.<\/p>\n

The American spoke out about the realisation to show others how the American system compares to others around the world.<\/p>\n

RELATED<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s a basic human right, and I wish the US would realise this too,” she said.<\/p>\n

How does endometriosis excision surgery work in Australia?<\/p>\n

Endometriosis a condition where cells similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus.<\/p>\n

It can envelop the ovaries and fallopian tubes and even affect nearby organs, including the bowel and bladder.<\/p>\n

It can cause severe and ongoing pain, with more than 40,000 people being hospitalised<\/a> for the condition in 2021 to 2022, as well as inflammation and infertility.<\/p>\n

In Australia, people can get treatment for endometriosis through either the public or private system.<\/p>\n

But the freebie can typically be found in one of those systems.<\/p>\n

Do you have a story to share? Contact au.lifestyle.ent@yahooinc.com<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Unrecognizable<\/p>\n

Endometriosis can cause debilitating pain for sufferers, with one in seven Aussie women having the condition. Source: Getty<\/p>\n

(Antonio Hugo Photo via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

“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.<\/p>\n

“Under Medicare, most surgeries and procedures are free for public patients in public hospitals.”<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

In the private sector, close to 7,000 procedures were done in 2024 to 2025, with the average gap payment being $1,850.<\/p>\n

According to Endometriosis Australia<\/a>, only one in 10 Aussies self-funded their endometriosis incision surgery.<\/p>\n

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).<\/p>\n

That’s up from one in nine<\/a> in 2019.<\/p>\n

Aussies’ experiences in dealing with endometriosis<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Some even joked that the only thing they had to fork out for was the hospital amenities.<\/p>\n

“My wife’s endo surgery cost me closer to $150 by the time I parked and bought myself lunch,” one said.<\/p>\n

“I went full private,” added another.<\/p>\n

“The surgeon cost me $300 and the anaesthetist $230. All other fees covered by private health insurance and parking were free.”<\/p>\n

“I pay $64 a fortnight for my private health [insurance] and I\u2019ve had four surgeries for my endometriosis and yes I can confirm, I only pay for parking,” wrote a third.<\/p>\n

One claimed they made money by getting their endometriosis surgery because they received a $20 voucher for the hospital cafeteria.<\/p>\n

The AIHW said<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

However, the path to getting diagnosed with endometriosis in the first place can take some sufferers years.<\/p>\n

According to Endometriosis Australia<\/a>, the average time is six-and-a-half years.<\/p>\n

Americans beg for a better healthcare system<\/p>\n

The LA-based health influencer said she was happy for Australians and other parts of the world that had free healthcare.<\/p>\n

“That\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

She thought most Americans would be happy to pay a tax for healthcare, instead of expensive insurance premiums and medical bills.<\/p>\n

“Insurance is randomly denying medications and treatments to save them money, and, as a result, even if we have insurance, sometimes Americans can\u2019t even get access to the care that our doctors prescribe us,” she said.<\/p>\n

Want the latest lifestyle and entertainment news? Make sure to follow us on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram, <\/a>and TikTok<\/a>.<\/p>\n