Cost of Gastric Sleeve Surgery
The Cost of Gastric Sleeve Surgery can be tremendously expensive for most people nowadays. With the standard cost of gastric sleeve surgery ranging from $10,000 or higher, there are a few insurance providers who are willing to pay for a portion of the cost of the procedure.
Plus, since this weight loss surgery is new, a lot of insurance providers may not cover the entire cost of gastric sleeve surgery. Unfortunately, there are quite a number of individuals who necessitate this kind of procedure due to health associated reasons but are not able to undergo the procedure. But, there are also some insurance companies that are willing to pay a portion of the cost of the procedure once it is proven that the procedure is a medical necessity.
If you are considering surgery to improve your health, it is better that you are prepared and know what you’re getting into. You should know what is included in the cost of gastric sleeve surgery so there are no surprises down the road.
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Cost of Gastric Sleeve Surgery: A Brief Summary
Here are a few of the things that should be included in the cost of gastric sleeve surgery:
- Hospital Fee
- Surgeon’s Fees
- Anesthesia Fees
- X-ray fees
- Pre-op lab work
- Fees for follow up appointments and check ups
Items That May Not Be Included in the Cost of Gastric Sleeve Surgery
Here is a list of items that are not typically included in the cost of gastric sleeve surgery:
- Post surgery care like diet counseling, vitamins and supplements, exercise, and behavior modification.
- Other forms of surgery that may be necessary like a gastric bypass or a duodenal switch surgery.
- Body contouring surgical procedures to eliminate excess skin, toning up of the loose muscles, lifting of those saggy areas, and treating the fat deposits. These kinds of surgery may entail a breast lift, full body lift, breast reduction, etc.
Like with any type of follow-up surgery, the more fat that is eliminated the more loose skin you will have, and the higher the cost will be for the entire treatment. This is primarily due to the fact that the procedure may entail multiple visits to the doctor.
Other Factors Affecting The Cost of Gastric Sleeve Surgery
A number of factors can influence the cost of gastric sleeve surgery. The factors can include:
- Location
- Health Insurance
- Facility
- Inpatient/Outpatient
Location
The location of your place would greatly influence the cost of the surgery. Cost of the weight loss is more expensive in cities and other urban areas since the weight loss surgeons in these places are in great demand compared to rural areas. If you would like to lower the cost of gastric sleeve surgery, looking for surgeons outside of major urban centers, or even in other countries such as Mexico would be a good option.
Health Insurance
Whether you own a health plan or insurance, you might still end up paying for the entire cost of gastric sleeve surgery if your insurance provider will not cover the cost. It is a good idea to contact your insurance provider to find out if they cover bariatric surgery, and if so, what are the requirements for coverage.
Facility (Clinic/Hospital)
The cost of gastric sleeve surgery will also depend on whether the procedure will be done in a clinic or in a hospital. Generally, a hospital can cost more since this is separate from your practice. The bariatric surgeon may have facilities to complete the procedure, and it will probably cost less to have it done there as they may be able to roll the cost in to the overall amount, and they may even give you a discounted rate for a package deal.
Inpatient/Outpatient
The cost will also vary if you are an inpatient or an outpatient. Take note that procedures that these type of procedure will usually be done on an inpatient basis since you will require medically supervised recovery time, so the cost of gastric sleeve surgery may be more.
Payment Plans
Should you need to have weight loss surgery but you are not able to afford the cost of the gastric sleeve surgery, then you can ask if your surgeon offers any type of financing options. Your insurance provider may not cover even a portion of the weight loss procedure, so you should seek a feasible payment alternative that you can manage. Keep in mind that most companies that offer payment plans will charge you for interest, just like a loan or a credit card, and this can definitely affect the Cost of Gastric Sleeve Surgery.
