Beacuse it is recognised that morbid obesity and the medical problems associated with it will reduce a person’s life expectancy, and that weight loss surgery is not yet readily available in the public hospital system, the Australian Government allows early access to your or another family member’s superannuation to cover the costs involved in bariatric surgery.
The application for early super release is processed by Centrelink- you will need to fill out an application form, and obtain a written letter of support from both your GP and Specialist. (Dr will provide his letter of support to you upon request after your initial consultation) The processing time by Centrelink generally takes around 3 weeks, and allow a further 4-6 weeks for your superannuation fund to release the funds to your personal bank account.
For more details on the early release of super to pay for medical expenses click here. To download the application form click here