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Gastric Bypass Guide
The Cost Of Lap Band Surgery
Anybody contemplating lap band surgery will have a long list of questions and fairly high up on that list will be the question of cost. Unfortunately, although this seems like a simple question, it is not quite so simple to answer. The cost of lap band surgery will depend upon a whole host of different factors but the first thing you need to do is to establish whether you qualify for surgery. Deciding that you need or want surgery is one thing but when it comes to lap band cost whether or not you meet the requirements of the National Institutes of Health is an important factor.
In general, if you have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more then you will automatically meet the NIH requirements. You may also qualify if your BMI is between 35 and 39 as long as you also have a serious medical problem which is associated with your weight. The list of associated conditions is long but will include such things as diabetes, hypertension or high cholesterol.
If you do not meet the NHI requirements then you will need to meet the full lap band surgery cost yourself.
The next thing you need to consider is whether or not your health insurance will meet all or part of the cost of lap band surgery. It is commonly thought that insurance companies will not meet the cost of weight loss surgery but this is not the case and health insurers are increasingly funding either part or all of the cost of lap band surgery. Your health insurance company will however only meet the cost if you meet the NIH criteria and your doctor certifies that your surgery is a medical necessity.
So, how much does lap band surgery cost?
Getting a lap band price is complex because you have to factor in not just the cost of surgery itself but all of the associated costs and these will vary considerably depending upon where your surgery is performed and by whom. Fees will include such things as pre-op tests, surgeon's fees and hospital charges. In addition, there will be a number of post-surgery charges for services such as follow-up medical visits, nutritional counseling and psychological support.
If surgery is carried out in the United States then you can reasonably expect to pay anywhere between $17,000 and $30,000 for surgery and follow-up care as long as you do not run into any complications. Although major complications are rare they do arise from time to time and the cost can then rise dramatically.
If surgery is carried out outside of the United States then the cost will be lower and you can expect to pay between $11,000 and $16,000. Lap band surgery has been performed for some considerably time in both Australia and Europe where results have been excellent and is also now being increasingly performed in countries such as Brazil, Mexico, India, Canada and the Far East.
If you are contemplating traveling abroad for surgery then you will need to add in the cost of travel and post-operative recovery care which can add considerably to the overall cost but still be cheaper than undergoing surgery at home. You should also check with your insurance company if applicable as it is very unlikely that your insurer will meet the cost of lap band surgery abroad. Finally, you should take into consideration the fact that you may well have considerably less legal protection should anything go wrong with surgery away from your home country.
As a general rule having your surgery at home is likely to be your best and safest option but if the cost difference is large enough in your particular case then you may feel that it is worth taking the risk.
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