The Cost of Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Gastric sleeve costs can become extremely high and virtually out of reach for many people. Because this surgery is fairly new many insurance companies will not cover the costs of the surgery. Some insurance companies are now picking up a percentage of the cost as they see the benefits of the surgery. With the average cost of gastric sleeve surgery reaching close to $10,000 and very few insurance companies covering at least part of the costs, many people who need the surgery for health related concerns cannot get the surgery.

Gastric Sleeve Surgery: Breakdown of Costs

Included in the cost of gastric sleeve surgery are:
Hospital fees Surgeon’s fees Anesthesia fees Pre-op lab work X-ray fees Fees for any follow-up appointmentsCosts not included in the initial fee include:
Post-surgery care such as vitamins and supplements, behavior modification, exercise, and diet counseling. Other types of bariatric surgery that may be needed such as duodenal switch and gastric bypass surgery Body contouring surgery for the removal of excess skin, improving loose muscles, body lifts for saggy areas, or to treat any type of fat deposit. These types of surgery include a full body lift, breast lift, breast reduction, panniculectomy, breast augmentation, breast implants, or labiaplasty.With any follow-up surgeries, the more fat and skin that needs to be removed the higher the cost. This is due to longer surgical time and many more doctor visits.

The Factors that Affect the Cost of Gastric Sleeve Surgery

There are many factors that affect the cost of gastric sleeve surgery. Some of these factors include the following:
Depending on where you live the cost could be significantly higher. The cost for this surgery is much higher in urban areas and large cities such as Philadelphia and New York City as surgeons are in greater demand than in rural areas. Depending on your health plan, you may be required to cover all the costs associated with this surgery if they do not cover it. Cost also depends on whether you are using a surgeon or hospital that is considered and in-network provider with your insurance company if they are covering some of the costs. Cost will also depend on whether or not the procedure is done as an outpatient procedure or an inpatient procedure. Inpatient procedures will cost more as an overnight stay is required.If you need gastric sleeve surgery but cannot afford the costs of the surgery, talk to your surgeon about payment options. If your insurance company does not cover any portion of the cost of the surgery, sit down and figure out a payment plan that you can feasibly afford. When you meet with your surgeon, present this payment plan to him or her and find out if he or she can work with this plan. For individuals who need the surgery for health related concerns, obtaining some type of documentation from your doctor regarding the need for this surgery could be helpful. If you are able to get documentation from your doctor attempt to submit your written request along with documentation of need to your insurance company; this may work to your benefit where the insurance company could decide to pick up a percentage of the cost leaving you with a much lower amount to get the surgery that is needed to keep you healthy.

share this on your twitter account