The headline cost of medical weight loss in Australia is usually the program fee. Published membership fees for subscription weight loss programs typically run from about $89 to $349 or more per month, and that fee covers the program layer rather than any treatment. The consultation layer, however, does not have to cost anything: GP consultations at a bulk billing telehealth practice are $0 out of pocket for eligible Medicare cardholders, and a GP can assess weight, order blood tests, refer to a dietitian, and discuss whatever management is clinically appropriate for you.
What you are actually paying for
Separate the layers and the pricing gets much clearer. The clinical layer is the consultations: assessment, reviews, and follow-up, plus any blood tests the GP orders. The program layer is what many providers wrap around that: apps, coaching, messaging access, and bundled follow-ups, usually charged as a monthly membership. Whatever treatment plan comes out of your assessment is a clinical decision to discuss with your GP, and its costs depend entirely on what is appropriate for you.
The membership model is where most of the headline cost sits. A recurring $89 to $349+ per month adds up to roughly $1,000 to $4,000 a year, so it is worth being clear on what the fee includes and what happens if you pause it.
The bulk billed alternative for the consultation layer
The consultation layer is the part Medicare already covers. A GP consultation about weight is a standard consultation: at a bulk billing practice, Medicare is billed directly and eligible patients pay nothing out of pocket. In that consultation a GP can take your history, order Medicare-rebated blood tests where indicated, discuss options that are clinically appropriate, provide referrals, and set up follow-up. For eligible patients with a chronic condition, a GP can also prepare a chronic condition management plan that unlocks Medicare rebates for dietitian sessions.
None of that requires a membership. The clinical assessment is the same consultation either way; the difference is whether you also pay a monthly program fee for the layer around it.
Questions worth asking any provider
Whether you are comparing subscription programs or considering your regular GP, the same checklist applies. Is the prescriber AHPRA-registered, and is the consultation a real-time video or phone consult rather than a questionnaire? What exactly does any recurring fee include, and can you access reviews without it? What is the follow-up plan, and who monitors your progress? And what does your total yearly cost look like across every fee the program charges? A bulk billed telehealth GP is a reasonable first step for an honest assessment of whether medical weight loss is clinically appropriate for you at all, at $0 out of pocket if you are Medicare eligible.
References
- Healthdirect, Weight loss and dieting
- Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, Overweight and obesity
Frequently asked questions
Is medical weight loss covered by Medicare?
Partly. GP consultations about weight are standard consultations, so a bulk billing practice can bill Medicare directly and eligible patients pay $0 out of pocket. Blood tests a GP orders usually attract Medicare rebates, and dietitian sessions can attract rebates for eligible patients under a chronic condition management plan. Any treatment costs depend on what is clinically appropriate for you and are best discussed with your GP.
Why do weight loss programs charge monthly membership fees?
Subscription programs typically bundle prescriber access, follow-up messaging, and coaching into a recurring fee. That structure funds the program layer around the clinical care. It is worth checking what the fee buys, because GP consultations can be accessed separately at practices that bulk bill.
What does a GP consultation about weight cost?
At a bulk billing telehealth practice like NewDoc, a GP consultation is $0 out of pocket for eligible Medicare cardholders, whatever the topic of the consult. A GP can assess your situation, order relevant blood tests, discuss options that are clinically appropriate for you, and refer you to a dietitian, with Medicare-rebated allied health sessions available for eligible patients under a chronic condition management plan.
Are the cheaper telehealth weight programs lower quality?
Price mostly reflects the business model rather than the clinical standard. The doctor you consult must be AHPRA-registered whatever the program charges, and you can check any individual practitioner on the public AHPRA register. The practical questions to ask: is the consultation a real-time video or phone consult, what does the recurring fee actually include, and what happens to your care if you stop paying it.
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Last reviewed 12 July 2026. Editorial policy
Written by
Chief Medical Officer, NewDoc
A practising GP with over a decade of clinical experience, specialising in allergies, metabolic health, and chronic disease management.