Weight loss Surgery Cost

Weight loss Surgery Cost

With increasing problem of obesity in world and lack of time among the people. They want instant relief from obesity and opting for weight loss surgery. But undergoing weight loss surgery is not possible for all as it is both complex and costly. The average cost of gastric bypass surgery ranges from $18,000 to $35,000, while if you want adjustable gastric banding with Lap-Band, the cost you will incur will range from $17,000 to $30,000.

This cost includes the cost of various tools and techniques used to carry out the surgical procedure. This includes pre-op lab and X-ray fees, anesthesia, hospital facility and surgeon's fee. The cost of the surgery also depends upon the time of recovery of the patient. The additional cost may include the dietary plans, fitness regimen, behavioral modification, nutritional supplementation and body contouring surgeries to remove excess skin, lift sagging body areas (body lift) and improve loose muscles or treat fat deposits.

Gastric Banding Cost includes the hospital facility fee, the surgeon's fee, pre-op lab and X-ray fees and follow-up appointments for adjustments during the first year after gastric banding surgery. Apart from this there are several post operational cost such as behavior, exercise and diet counseling.

Some other types of weight loss surgeries such as gastric sleeve surgery and duodenal switch surgery, have the same cost as gastric bypass surgery. However, they may include some other additional post operational costs.

Cost of Additional Procedures

Weight loss surgery involves a set of procedures that may add to the cost of the surgery. For example, after the successful surgery, you may need a plastic surgery. Some other post surgical procedures such as liposuction, labiaplasty, tummy tuck or breast augmentation can increase your cost. Moreover, the higher will be the amount of fat in your body, more will be the time of surgery leading to increase in cost.

Insurance Coverage

The benefit of health insurance is also provided by some insurance providers that over some or all of the costs of surgery for obesity if medical necessity is established by your doctor and if you meet the National Institutes of Health requirements.

Mostly, the cases of chronic morbid obesity are covered under insurance policy, but only if the doctor informs the insurance company that the surgery is medically necessary. For this you will have to provide appropriate documentation that should include statement of doctor providing the need of surgery as all other therapies didn't work.

It is most likely to get the insurance coverage if the doctors shows to to be suffering from diabetes or heart disease. If the initial attempt to insurance coverage is denied you can re appeal for the coverage immediately.

Payment Plans

Most of the surgeons and doctors provide attractive payment plans to make you convenient for the payment. Some of them has tie ups with several financial institutions to provide financial assistance to their patients. Moreover, they also provide some attractive offers in different payment plans.

Apart from all these factors some more factors that can affect the cost of weight loss surgery can be the regional impact. The fees may vary in different regions. For example, the cost of surgery is a bit higher in the urban areas as the surgeons are more skillful and experienced and hence demand for more fees. The fees for weight loss surgery is highest in U.S. followed by West Coast, then the central and southern states.