Short answer: If you have signs of a serious complication, such as chest pain, sudden breathlessness, heavy bleeding, a high fever or a swollen, painful calf, get emergency care straight away, wherever you are. For problems that aren’t urgent, contact your treating surgeon, see your GP and keep copies of every record. Medicare doesn’t cover treatment overseas, and basic travel insurance usually excludes elective procedures and their complications.
Risks and limitations to understand first
Every operation carries risk, wherever it happens. Smartraveller warns that standards of care, infection control and legal protections can be very different overseas, and that some problems only appear after you get back to Australia (Smartraveller (opens official site)).
| Risk | Why travel makes it harder |
|---|---|
| Blood clots (DVT and pulmonary embolism) | Surgery and long flights both raise clot risk, and flying home soon after an operation combines the two (healthdirect (opens official site)). |
| Infection and wound problems | Infection control standards vary between countries and facilities, and infections can start after you’ve flown home (Smartraveller (opens official site)). |
| Gaps in follow-up care | Your Australian doctors may not have your operation notes, implant details or medication list. |
| Problems that can’t be fixed locally | Some complications may not be treatable in the country where you had the procedure. |
| Cost of putting things right | Fixing a complication can cost much more than the original treatment, and medical evacuation is expensive (Smartraveller (opens official site)). |
| Limited legal recourse | Australian regulators generally can’t act against a practitioner registered only overseas. |
| No guaranteed result | No surgeon can promise an outcome. Revision surgery in Australia is usually at your own cost. |
Planning can reduce some of these risks. It can’t remove them.
Some procedures have their own follow-up needs. Read the risks sections in our guides to breast augmentation, tummy tucks, the gastric sleeve, dental implants, hip replacement and hair transplants.
Is it an emergency?
Call 000 in Australia, or the local emergency number overseas, if you have:
- chest pain, sudden shortness of breath or coughing up blood
- heavy bleeding that doesn’t stop with firm pressure
- fainting, confusion or severe drowsiness
- swelling of the face, lips or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing
- severe pain that is getting rapidly worse, or a hard, swollen abdomen after abdominal or weight-loss surgery
See a doctor the same day (GP, after-hours clinic or emergency department) if you have:
- a fever or chills
- redness, heat, swelling or pus around a wound, or redness that is spreading
- a wound that is opening up
- pain, swelling or warmth in one calf or leg
- vomiting that won’t stop, or you can’t keep fluids down
- new numbness, weakness or changes to your vision
The medical reviewer should confirm these warning signs and any temperature threshold before publication.
Not sure how urgent it is? Call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 to speak to a registered nurse, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In Victoria the same number connects to NURSE-ON-CALL (healthdirect (opens official site)).
If you’re still overseas
- In an emergency, call local emergency services or go to the nearest hospital. Don’t wait for the clinic to call back. Emergency numbers are listed in the “Where to get help” section of each Smartraveller country page (Smartraveller (opens official site)). For the countries we cover, see Thailand, Bali and Turkey.
- If it isn’t an emergency, go back to your treating surgeon first. They have your records and know what was done.
- Call your travel insurer’s 24-hour emergency line if you have cover, and get any approval in writing.
- Be ready to pay. Hospitals may ask for payment or insurance details before they treat you, even in an emergency (Smartraveller (opens official site)). Ask what the care will cost before treatment starts.
- Call the Consular Emergency Centre if you need help. It’s open 24 hours on +61 2 6261 3305 from overseas, or 1300 555 135 from within Australia. Staff can give you a list of local hospitals and English-speaking doctors and, with your consent, contact your family (Smartraveller (opens official site)).
- Don’t fly until a doctor says you’re fit to fly. Flying with an untreated complication, especially a suspected clot, can be dangerous. See how long after surgery you can fly and DVT risk when flying after surgery.
- Collect copies of everything: operation notes, discharge summary, implant details (brand, size and lot number), pathology, imaging and a list of the medicines you were given.
What the Australian Government can’t do: consular staff can’t pay medical bills, lend you money, recommend hospitals or surgeons, or arrange or pay for a medical evacuation (Consular Services Charter (opens official site); Smartraveller (opens official site)).
Once you’re back in Australia
See your GP early
Book a GP appointment within your first few days home, even if you feel well. Bring all your records, translated into English if needed. Your GP can check your wounds, arrange tests and dressings, and refer you to a specialist or hospital. Our guide to aftercare in Australia explains how to plan this before you go.
Emergency care in public hospitals
In an emergency, go to the nearest hospital emergency department (Ahpra (opens official site)). If you’re eligible for Medicare, treatment as a public patient in a public hospital is free (privatehealth.gov.au (opens official site)). Planned corrective or cosmetic revision is a separate matter. Medicare doesn’t cover optional treatment such as elective cosmetic surgery (privatehealth.gov.au (opens official site)), so revision may only be available privately and at your own cost. See revision surgery in Australia.
Private health insurance
Private health insurers don’t pay benefits for cosmetic surgery or the hospital costs that go with it (Commonwealth Ombudsman (opens official site)). Treatment of a medically necessary complication in Australia may be covered, depending on your policy’s exclusions, restrictions and waiting periods. Ask your insurer in writing.
Medicare, insurance and costs
| Question | Short answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Does Medicare pay for treatment I had overseas? | No. Medicare doesn’t cover you when you’re overseas. | Smartraveller (opens official site) |
| Do reciprocal health agreements help? | Australia has agreements with 11 countries. They mostly cover urgent, medically necessary care and don’t include Thailand, Indonesia or Turkey. | Smartraveller (opens official site) |
| Will basic travel insurance cover complications? | Rarely. Basic policies usually exclude elective procedures. Specialised cover exists. Tell the insurer about your procedure, or you may void the policy. | Smartraveller (opens official site) |
| Who pays if I need evacuation? | You, your family or your insurer. The government won’t. | Smartraveller (opens official site) |
| What if I can’t pay an overseas hospital bill? | You could be sued, detained or prevented from leaving the country until it’s paid. | Smartraveller (opens official site) |
Budget for these gaps before you go. Our guides to whether Medicare covers surgery overseas, travel insurance for surgery overseas, medical tourism insurance, health insurance gaps and your total trip budget go into detail.
Keep a record of everything
Keep one folder, on paper and digitally, with:
- your quote, invoices, receipts and consent forms
- the surgeon’s full name, qualifications and registration details in that country
- operation notes, discharge summary and implant card
- dated photos of your wound (for your doctor, not for publication)
- every message with the clinic or agency
- your insurance policy and any claim correspondence
These records help your Australian doctors treat you. They also support any complaint or claim. Smartraveller also suggests getting independent legal advice (Smartraveller (opens official site)).
Making a complaint
Who to complain to depends on who was involved:
- The overseas surgeon or hospital: use the clinic’s own complaints process first, then the regulator in that country. Our destination guides list the regulators for Thailand, Bali and Turkey.
- An Australian-registered practitioner (for example, an Australian doctor who referred you or provided care): raise a concern with Ahpra (opens official site). For cosmetic surgery, Ahpra runs a confidential Cosmetic Surgery Hotline on 1300 361 041, open 9am to 5pm AEST, Monday to Friday (Ahpra (opens official site)). Ahpra can’t arrange compensation. For that, contact your state or territory health complaints entity. In NSW, that’s the Health Care Complaints Commission, and in Queensland it’s the Office of the Health Ombudsman.
- An Australian-based agency or facilitator: the Australian Consumer Law applies to businesses supplying to consumers in Australia. It generally doesn’t reach a transaction made entirely overseas (ACCC (opens official site)). Your state or territory fair trading office can advise. See how to choose a medical travel agency.
- Your insurer: complain to the insurer first. If you’re not satisfied, take a travel insurance complaint to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), or a private health insurance complaint to the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman on 1300 362 072 (Commonwealth Ombudsman (opens official site)).
If you signed a non-disclosure agreement as part of a settlement, Ahpra’s view is that it doesn’t stop you from making a complaint, but check with a lawyer first (Ahpra (opens official site)).
Reducing the risk next time
- Talk to your GP before you book, and get a health check at least 6 weeks before you travel (Smartraveller (opens official site)).
- Check the surgeon’s registration and the hospital’s accreditation. See how to choose a surgeon overseas and questions to ask before you book.
- Read the safety guides for Thailand, Bali and Turkey.
Frequently asked questions
Will an Australian hospital treat me if surgery overseas goes wrong?
Yes, in an emergency. Go to the nearest emergency department. Planned revision or corrective surgery is different: Medicare doesn’t cover elective cosmetic surgery, so revision may only be available privately at your own cost.
Does Medicare cover complications from surgery overseas?
Medicare doesn’t cover any treatment you receive overseas. Back in Australia, a Medicare-eligible person can be treated free as a public patient in a public hospital, but cosmetic revision isn’t covered.
Does travel insurance cover complications from cosmetic surgery?
Basic travel insurance rarely does. Most standard policies exclude elective procedures and their complications. Specialised policies exist, but you must disclose your procedure and read the PDS.
Can I sue an overseas surgeon in Australia?
It’s usually difficult. Australian regulators can’t act against practitioners registered only overseas, and a claim may have to be brought in that country. Get independent legal advice.
What are the warning signs of a blood clot after surgery?
Pain, swelling, warmth or redness in one leg, usually the calf. Chest pain or sudden shortness of breath can mean a clot has reached the lungs. That’s an emergency, so call 000.
Can I fly home if I develop a complication overseas?
Only once a doctor says you’re fit to fly. Your insurer and airline may also need a medical clearance.
Can the Australian Government help if something goes wrong overseas?
Consular staff can give you a list of local hospitals and English-speaking doctors and contact your family with your consent. They can’t pay medical bills, recommend surgeons or arrange a medical evacuation.
Who do I complain to about an overseas surgeon?
Start with the clinic, then go to the regulator in that country. Ahpra only deals with practitioners registered in Australia.
Sources
All accessed 22 October 2026.
- Smartraveller, Medical tourism: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/medical-tourism
- Smartraveller, Sun, sand and cosmetic surgery: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/news-and-updates/sun-sand-and-surgery
- Smartraveller, Getting urgent medical care overseas: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/travel-essentials/travel-health/urgent-medical-care-overseas
- Smartraveller, Reciprocal health care agreements: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/travel-essentials/travel-health/using-healthcare-agreement-medical-care
- Smartraveller, Consular Services Charter: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/charter
- healthdirect, Contact us: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/contact-us
- healthdirect, Deep vein thrombosis: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/deep-vein-thrombosis
- Ahpra, What to do if surgery goes wrong: https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Resources/Cosmetic-surgery-hub/Information-for-the-public/What-to-do-if-surgery-goes-wrong.aspx
- Ahpra, Raise a concern: https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Notifications/Raise-a-concern.aspx
- privatehealth.gov.au, What is covered by private health insurance?: https://privatehealth.gov.au/health_insurance/what_is_covered/privatehealth.htm
- Commonwealth Ombudsman, Plastic and reconstructive surgery: https://www.ombudsman.gov.au/publications-and-news-pages/publication-pages/brochures-and-factsheets/factsheets/private-health-insurance/plastic-and-reconstructive-surgery
- ACCC, Buying online: https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/buying-products-and-services/buying-online
Disclaimer: The information on medicaltourism.com.au is general in nature. It isn’t medical, legal, financial or insurance advice and doesn’t take your personal circumstances into account. All surgery carries risks. Talk to a registered health practitioner before deciding on any procedure, and check the terms of any insurance before you travel. medicaltourism.com.au doesn’t recommend specific clinics or practitioners. See our editorial policy, medical disclaimer and how we make money.