Australia Guide · Medicare SAS, Associations & Summer Comfort

Australia Stoma Appliance Scheme (SAS) Guide (2026): Free Supplies, Associations & Everyday Wear

Everything Australian ostomates need to know about getting $0 Medicare-subsidised stoma bags through your state Ostomy Association — plus practical tips for 35°C+ summer heat, ocean swims, and breathable A$ everyday wear.

Written by María G. · hola@siilostomy.com · Last updated: 14 November 202610 min read

Medicare's Stoma Appliance Scheme covers your monthly bags through 21 regional Ostomy Associations across Australia.

Quick answer

Australia's Stoma Appliance Scheme (SAS) provides $0 Medicare-subsidised stoma bags, baseplates, and approved accessories to Medicare cardholders with a temporary or permanent stoma. Your Stomal Therapy Nurse (STN) signs your SAS form, and you order monthly through one of Australia's 21 not-for-profit Ostomy Associations for a small annual membership and optional postage fee.

$0 Bagsfor SAS-listed stoma pouches & barriers with a Medicare card
21not-for-profit Ostomy Associations across NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, TAS & ACT
STN Sign-Offunlocks initial SAS registration & 6-month extra-supply reviews
A$ Checkoutnative Australian dollar pricing & fast delivery on SIIL

How Australia's Stoma Appliance Scheme (SAS) works in 5 steps

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Australia has one of the clearest ostomy support systems in the world: the Australian Government's Stoma Appliance Scheme (SAS) provides fully subsidised stoma bags, baseplates, barrier rings, adhesive removers, and approved accessories to anyone with a temporary or permanent stoma who holds a valid Medicare card (or eligible Department of Veterans' Affairs card).

One detail catches new patients by surprise: you do not collect SAS supplies from a high-street chemist. Instead, Medicare distributes SAS supplies exclusively through 21 regional not-for-profit Ostomy Associations coordinated under the Australian Council of Stoma Associations (ACSA).

STN completes your SAS form in hospital
Before discharge, your Stomal Therapy Nurse (STN) or surgeon signs the official SAS Application Form confirming your temporary or permanent ileostomy, colostomy, or urostomy and initial product codes.
Choose your Ostomy Association
Pick one of Australia's 21 volunteer-led Ostomy Associations (usually in your home state — NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, TAS, or ACT, though you may join whichever suits you best).
Pay the small annual association fee
The SAS appliances themselves are $0. You pay only a small regulated annual membership fee to your association (lower for Pensioner/Health Care Card concession holders than non-concession members) plus optional flat-rate Australia Post parcel postage if you don't collect in person.
Order monthly or two-monthly
Place your order through your association's online portal up to the monthly SAS Schedule maximums (for example, 30–60 closed bags or 30 drainable bags/month depending on category). If you temporarily need extra bags or barrier rings, your STN can sign a 6-month Clinical Review request.

Neatly packed compact travel stoma kit ready for an Australian day out — Once your STN submits your SAS application, monthly stoma supplies arrive via your chosen Australian Ostomy Association.

Finding an Ostomy Association in your Australian state or territory

Every ACSA-affiliated Ostomy Association supplies the exact same Australian Government SAS Schedule — the difference is local pick-up counters, dispatch turnaround, and local peer support groups:

Overview of SAS Ostomy Associations across Australia
State / Territory	Major SAS Associations	Helpful local notes
New South Wales (NSW)	Ostomy NSW (Sydney), Hunter Region, Illawarra, Central Coast & regional NSW associations	Online ordering + Sydney collection or Australia Post delivery statewide
Victoria (VIC)	Ostomy Association of Melbourne, Geelong, Gippsland, Goulburn Valley, Warrnambool & regional VIC	Multiple metro and regional Victorian associations with online portals
Queensland (QLD)	Queensland Ostomy Association (Brisbane), Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay, North QLD & Toowoomba	Tip for QLD humidity: store spare hydrocolloids in an air-conditioned room away from summer heat
Western Australia (WA)	WA Ostomy Association (Perth)	Allow extra Australia Post transit days if ordering from regional WA or the Kimberley/Pilbara
South Australia & NT	Ostomy SA (Adelaide) — also supports Northern Territory members	Remote NT members should order well ahead of wet-season postal delays
Tasmania & ACT	Ostomy Tasmania (Hobart/Launceston) & ACT and Region Ostomy Association (Canberra)	Local STN clinics + fast parcel dispatch across TAS and the Canberra region

Australian heat, humidity, ocean surf & stoma seal tips

Living with a stoma in 32°C–40°C Australian summers — from Sydney beaches and Queensland humidity to Perth sunshine — calls for two simple adjustments: hydration and breathable, sweat-wicking fabric.

Keeping your wafer stuck in 35°C+ heat

Apply your fresh baseplate onto bone-dry skin in the cool morning before humidity builds, and hold a warm palm over it for 60 seconds.
Ask your STN about SAS-listed barrier extenders (hydrocolloid half-moon strips) if sweat or ocean surf lifts the outer tape edge.
Avoid thick, non-breathable neoprene waistbands in summer — trapped sweat softens hydrocolloid faster than ocean water does.
With an ileostomy, carry cold water + oral electrolyte sachets (Hydralyte or Gastrolyte) on hot days; read our ileostomy daily life guide.

Swimming at the beach & pool

Modern SAS drainable and closed stoma bags are 100% waterproof in saltwater and chlorinated pools.
Pop the small filter sticker from your bag box over the charcoal vent before diving in so water cannot clog the gas filter.
Empty your bag before entering the surf, and wear quick-dry one-piece ostomy swimwear or a fast-drying inner-pocket ostomy belt under boardshorts so waves never tug on the adhesive.

Woman drying off comfortably after swimming and showering with an ostomy — Saltwater, pools, and showers are completely fine for your stoma seal — pat the bag cover dry or swap into a dry wrap afterwards.

What the SAS Schedule covers — and choosing everyday wear in A$

The Australian SAS Schedule includes selected clinical abdominal support garments/binders (often requiring specific STN assessment and subject to annual SAS limits), alongside pouches, flanges, seals, and skin care. However, sleek everyday lifestyle garments — lightweight breathable belts for running and beach days, invisible seamless wraps under summer dresses, soft cotton underwear, and tailored swimwear — sit outside standard medical schedules.

On SIIL Ostomy, Australian customers shop natively in Australian dollars (A$) with fast tracked delivery to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, and regional postcodes — crafted from ultra-breathable European technical fabric that dries rapidly after a swim and never traps heat like heavy medical elastic.

Common questions about the Stoma Appliance Scheme (SAS) in Australia

Are stoma bags free in Australia under Medicare?

Yes. Once your Stomal Therapy Nurse (STN) signs you up to the Australian Government's Stoma Appliance Scheme (SAS) and you join one of the 21 not-for-profit Ostomy Associations, SAS-scheduled stoma bags, baseplates, and approved accessories cost $0. You only pay a small annual association membership fee plus optional postage.

How much does it cost to join an Australian Ostomy Association?

Annual membership fees are regulated under ACSA guidelines and kept low (with a discounted concession rate for Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card, and DVA cardholders, and a modest standard annual fee for non-concession members), plus a flat parcel postage charge when you order for home delivery.

What if I run out of stoma bags before my monthly SAS allowance resets?

Contact your Stomal Therapy Nurse (STN) straight away rather than rationing bags with leaks. An STN can check why wear time dropped and submit an SAS Clinical Review authorization for temporary extra monthly supplies while your skin or stoma settles.

Can you swim in the ocean with a stoma bag in Australia?

Absolutely. Stoma adhesives are engineered to stay sealed in saltwater and chlorinated pools. Cover the gas filter with its waterproof sticker, empty before heading into the surf, and use an inner-pocket swim belt or ostomy swimsuit so waves don't pull on the pouch.

Does SIIL Ostomy display prices in Australian dollars (AUD) and ship to Australia?

Yes. Visitors from Australia automatically browse and check out in Australian dollars (A$) on SIIL Ostomy, with tracked express and standard international delivery to every Australian state and territory.

Keep reading

Official Australian resources & further reading

Written by María G. for SIIL Ostomy. SAS Schedule codes, monthly maximums, and association fees are managed by the Australian Government Department of Health and ACSA; check with your Stomal Therapy Nurse or state association for your exact entitlement.

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