Cost of Gastric Bypass Surgery
One of the first questions that many people ask when they are considering
weight loss surgery is "how much does a gastric bypass cost?" While this is a
wholly understandable question, unfortunately it is not a simple question to
answer.
Gastric bypass surgery is a full surgical procedure requiring the services of
a surgical team including a qualified bariatric surgeon, an anesthetist, a
psychologist and other specialists, as well as hospitalization for at least 2 to
3 days followed by a 2 to 6 week recovery period.
Gastric bypass surgery also comes in a variety of different forms today and
while the long-established Roux-en-Y procedure is still widely practiced, many
other forms of surgery, in particular laparoscopic stomach surgery, are gaining
in popularity.
Also, like many other forms of surgery, gastric bypass surgery is not without
its risks and, while many patients will sail through the procedure, a
significant number will develop complications either in hospital or during the
recovery period which can push up the overall cost of gastric bypass surgery
considerably.
Against this background it can be seen that the cost is going to be
significant and is going to vary widely, but just how significant is it and what
sort of variation can be expected?
Well, at the bottom end of the scale, a minor procedure, such as gastric
banding, without complications can be expected to cost around $17,000. This
figure will increase to perhaps as much as $35,000 for full gastric bypass
surgery.
Should complications arise it is extremely difficult to say just what the
additional cost would be but it would not be unreasonable to think in terms of a
figure of $50,000.
Although gastric bypass surgery is an expensive procedure, the good news is
that, in many cases, a substantial part (if not all) of this cost can be met by
insurance. This will of course depend upon the type of insurance policy you hold
and the terms of that policy and will often involve something of an uphill
battle with your insurance company but, nonetheless, this is the first avenue
that you should explore.
More articles about gastric bypass surgery:
Is The Gastric Bypass Right For You? - The gastric bypass is increasingly being seen as the solution to obesity but it gastric bypass weight loss surgery right for you?
Is The Gastric Bypass Risk Figure Of 40 Percent Accurate? - Most people would not argue with the routinely quoted figure of 40 percent for the chances of encountering complications as a result of gastric bypass surgery. However this figure is without doubt well wide of the mark.
The Risks Of Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band Surgery - Since its introduction in the United States in 2001, laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgery has proved increasingly popular, not least because of the low risk and relatively few complications associated with it. There are however risks to gastric band surgery and these need to be considered carefully.
Obesity rates put pressure on provinces to fund surgery - CTV.ca
4 Mar 2010 at 5:53pm
Obesity rates put pressure on provinces to fund surgery
CTV.ca
"We have heard the opinion that the lap-band procedure is a less invasive kind of intervention compared to gastric bypass surgery," Oswald said. ...
and more »
Bleeding complications after off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery ... - Th...
4 Mar 2010 at 5:39pm
Bleeding complications after off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery ...
The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
Hecht-Dolnik M, Barkan H, Taharka A, Loftus J. Hetastarch increases the risk of bleeding complications in patients after off-pump coronary bypass surgery: a ...
and more »
Lap-Band popularity growing - Daily Republic
6 Mar 2010 at 12:18am
Lap-Band popularity growing
Daily Republic
Another popular bariatric procedure, mostly in years past, was gastric bypass. However, Nathan Hinker, a nurse practitioner at Avera Queen of Peace Hospital ...
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