Hernia and gallstone surgery 2026: public or private? Waiting times, fees and packages for public patients compared
Public hospital hernia or gallstone surgery starts at a Hospital Authority surgery specialist outpatient clinic; from October 2025 to September 2026 the median waiting time for stable new cases in Surgery by cluster was 28 to 43 weeks. The waiting times the Hospital Authority publishes regularly are listed by specialty, not separately for these two operations. Privately, at hospitals this site checked, packages with the doctor's fee cost about HK$57,000 to HK$81,980 at 4 hospitals for laparoscopic hernia repair (one side) and about HK$84,030 to HK$95,280 at 3 for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
What are the routes to hernia and gallstone surgery?
Compiled by this site: there are three common routes: waiting at a Hospital Authority public hospital, having the surgery under a private hospital's package for public hospital patients, or paying privately at a private hospital; the conditions, waiting, fees and documents for each route are in the table below.
Which surgical method to use, and whether a hospital stay is needed, is decided by the treating doctor according to the patient's condition.
| Item | Public hospital (Hospital Authority) | Private hospital package for public hospital patients | Private hospital standard package |
|---|---|---|---|
| How to start | Through a Hospital Authority surgery specialist outpatient clinic: a new appointment needs a referral letter issued by a locally registered doctor within the last three months, and a letter from a private doctor is also accepted; new cases are classified as urgent, semi-urgent or stable according to their condition | Depends on each hospital's conditions, for example showing a public hospital appointment letter or follow-up slip, or being a patient referred by a public hospital | Book directly with the hospital or doctor; if using medical insurance, first ask the insurer whether a referral letter or pre-approval is needed |
| Waiting | Median waiting time for stable new cases in Surgery by cluster 28 to 43 weeks (October 2025 to September 2026); surgery is then scheduled separately according to the condition | As arranged by the hospital or doctor | As arranged by the hospital or doctor |
| Fees | For Eligible Persons, HK$250 per day procedure, and HK$300 per day in an acute bed (from 1 January 2026) | For example, hernia: Precious Blood Hospital (Caritas) laparoscopic HK$69,800; Hong Kong Adventist Hospital – Stubbs Road day package HK$51,500 | Laparoscopic hernia repair (one side), 4 hospitals, about HK$57,000 to HK$81,980; cholecystectomy, 3 hospitals, about HK$84,030 to HK$95,280 |
| Fee protection | Annual charge cap of HK$10,000 (by application); those in financial difficulty can apply for a medical fee waiver | Depends on medical insurance | Depends on medical insurance |
| Documents to prepare | Hong Kong Identity Card; referral letter | The public hospital appointment letter, follow-up slip or referral documents specified by each hospital | Proof of identity; insurance documents |
How long is the wait at a public surgery clinic?
For reference, from October 2025 to September 2026 the median waiting time for stable new cases in Hospital Authority Surgery across the seven hospital clusters (on the former boundaries) was 28 to 43 weeks (about 6 to 10 months), and the data are next due to be updated on 29 January 2027; these are figures for new cases at specialist outpatient clinics, and the figures for each cluster are in Surgery public waiting times.
New cases are usually first assessed by a nurse and then reviewed by a specialist, and classified as urgent, semi-urgent or stable; the Hospital Authority's target is to keep the median waiting time for urgent and semi-urgent new cases within two weeks and eight weeks respectively.
Roughly how much does private hernia or gallstone surgery cost?
Among the private hospitals this site checked, 4 have a laparoscopic hernia repair (one side) package including the doctor's fee, at about HK$57,000 to HK$81,980, and the median inpatient bills for laparoscopic repair published by 11 hospitals are about HK$71,548 to HK$119,217; 3 have a laparoscopic cholecystectomy package including the doctor's fee, at about HK$84,030 to HK$95,280, and the median inpatient bills published by 12 hospitals are about HK$87,800 to HK$153,794.
For each hospital's package conditions and bill statistics, see Hernia surgery fees compared and Gallstone surgery fees compared.
| Item | Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (one side) | Laparoscopic cholecystectomy |
|---|---|---|
| Package including the doctor's fee | 4 hospitals, from HK$57,000 (Canossa Hospital (Caritas)) to HK$81,980 (Matilda International Hospital) | 3 hospitals, from HK$84,030 (Hong Kong Adventist Hospital – Tsuen Wan) to HK$95,280 (CUHK Medical Centre) |
| Package covering hospital charges only | 3 hospitals, from HK$35,600 (Hong Kong Adventist Hospital – Stubbs Road) to HK$40,500 (Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong) | 2 hospitals, from HK$45,000 (Hong Kong Adventist Hospital – Stubbs Road) to HK$47,500 (Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong) |
| Package for public hospital patients or low-charge beds | Precious Blood Hospital (Caritas) HK$69,800 (public hospital patients); Hong Kong Adventist Hospital – Stubbs Road day package HK$51,500 (patients referred by public hospitals, including designated doctor's and anaesthetist's fees); Hong Kong Adventist Hospital – Tsuen Wan low-charge bed HK$49,740 (Hong Kong permanent residents only) | Hong Kong Adventist Hospital – Tsuen Wan low-charge bed HK$72,550 (Hong Kong permanent residents only) |
| Median inpatient bill | 11 hospitals, from HK$71,548 (Hong Kong Adventist Hospital – Tsuen Wan) to HK$119,217 (Hong Kong Adventist Hospital – Stubbs Road) | 12 hospitals, from HK$87,800 (Evangel Hospital) to HK$153,794 (Hong Kong Adventist Hospital – Stubbs Road) |
How do I compare private quotes?
When comparing, put the same item on the same basis: whether the package includes the doctor's fee and the anaesthetist's fee, the room class and length of stay, and which doctors or referral routes it applies to. Private hospitals must have a fee schedule covering all chargeable items, and patients have the right to know the charges before treatment (Department of Health, Code of Practice for Private Hospitals, July 2026).
Before a non-emergency procedure or admission, you can ask for a budget estimate of the service fees; the Department of Health has recommended 30 common non-emergency treatments and procedures for which private hospitals can provide a budget estimate before admission. For arrangements when using medical insurance, see Using medical insurance for a private specialist.
Frequently asked questions
How much does hernia or gallstone surgery cost in a public hospital?
From 1 January 2026, Eligible Persons pay HK$250 per attendance for day procedures and treatment at Hospital Authority day facilities, and HK$300 per day in an acute bed; ask the hospital how a particular operation is charged in a public hospital.
Does the Hospital Authority publish waiting times for gallstone surgery?
The new-case waiting times for specialist outpatient clinics that the Hospital Authority publishes regularly are listed for eight specialties, including Surgery; for reference, from October 2025 to September 2026 the median waiting time for stable new cases in Surgery by cluster was 28 to 43 weeks.