Gastric Sleeve Cost
If you are considering gastric sleeve surgery, you must learn the cost of the procedure to plan. Gastric Sleeve is a bariatric surgery that is typically undergone by people to lose excess weight. It is an invasive procedure that needs the utmost care and precision to make it work. The surgery changes the digestive system, making people with high weights eat less, leading to weight loss.
When lifestyle changes are not providing the desired results for weight loss, people opt for gastric sleeve surgery. Weight loss followed by surgery can prevent chronic illnesses like heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, obesity, and stroke. In this article, you will learn about how much it will cost you to have gastric sleeve surgery.
What is the Price of a Gastric Sleeve Surgery?
The cost of Gastric Sleeve Surgery includes several aspects of the procedure. In addition to the actual surgical procedure, you need to consider other services that typically accompany it. When all of them are added up, you can expect the cost of a gastric sleeve surgery to range anywhere between $9,500 to $26,850. On average, the price of a gastric sleeve surgery is $16,750.
Whether the procedure is performed in an outpatient surgical center or an inpatient facility, such as a hospital, can influence the price significantly. If you consider the procedure in an outpatient facility, the price typically is $14,590 on average. At the same time, the average cost of gastric sleeve surgery in an inpatient facility is $23,990.
How to Reduce the Cost of Gastric Sleeve Surgery?
You can find several ways to reduce the cost of your gastric sleeve surgery. By choosing the right provider, you can get the most affordable price. Certain facilities may even provide you with payment options that can help you alleviate the burden of the expenses.
Before recently, only hospitals could carry out stomach surgery. Currently, more and more outpatient institutions are doing bariatric surgery. While offering the same level of safety as hospitals, outpatient clinics can help you avoid paying a hefty hospital charge.
Moreover, when they remain in-network for their gastric sleeve procedure, insured patients may often anticipate paying less than uninsured individuals. The average cost of gastric sleeve surgery is $14,650 for insured patients versus $17,250 for uninsured patients.
Almost invariably, in-network providers will be less expensive than those that are not. In-network gastric sleeve surgery costs $19,470 nationwide, but out-of-network costs are $25,740. However, patients without insurance are liable for the whole cost of their procedure.
You must keep in mind that you are in charge of paying your copay, deductible, and coinsurance sums if you have health insurance. Depending on your particular health plan, the actual cost of each of these expenses will vary.
What are the Primary Factors that Affect the Cost of Gastric Sleeve Surgery?
Several factors affect the cost of your gastric sleeve surgery. You should consider all these factors while planning to get the procedure done. They are detailed below.
Initial Consultation and Follow-Up Fee
Doctors typically charge a fee for the initial consultation before the surgery. As you recover from your gastric sleeve surgery, you will also need to make several follow-up visits. They are often spaced out across a two-week, six-week, three-month, and six-month period. To check on your health and development beyond the first six months, you will continue to see your doctor every six months to a year. Typically, this cost should be included in your bill. However, you should inquire about the inclusion of these follow-up appointments in the overall cost of your treatment.
The Location You Intend to Get the Procedure Done
Your location, including the country, state, and even city, might influence how much surgery will cost. You should prepare to pay more if you live in a rural region with limited amenities to pick from than you would in a metropolis with numerous suppliers. You can reduce the cost of a medical procedure significantly by traveling.
If You Have Insurance or Not
The cost of your gastric sleeve surgery may vary depending on your health insurance company if you have one. The variation in cost is mostly influenced by how much, if any, of the operation is covered by your insurance plan. You may anticipate paying the whole cost of the treatment out-of-pocket if you don’t have health insurance.
The Healthcare Facility You Choose
The cost of your treatment depends on where it is performed. Inpatient gastric sleeve surgery at a hospital is significantly more expensive than outpatient surgery. Patients often pay more for services because inpatient facilities have higher operating costs. However, you may find better patient care in some of these facilities.
Additional Prescriptions You May Have to Take
After surgery, a doctor can advise taking painkillers or antibiotics. If you have an insurance policy, you should check whether it covers the medications you receive to prevent paying expensive prescription expenses. Ask whether there is a generic version of the same medication if you don’t have insurance or if you have, but the prescription is still pricey. This can help reduce the cost.
Other Parameters that Influence the Cost of Gastric Sleeve Surgery
Apart from the factors that affect gastric sleeve surgery, several other aspects influence the cost of the procedure. For instance, the longer your procedure lasts in the theatre, the more you will have to pay as the fees per hour of the doctor increase. In addition, a longer hospital stay will need you to have additional care facilities arranged for you, making the bill go higher.
Most surgeries these days use single-use equipment to reduce contamination. These tools are often quite expensive. If your chosen facility prefers to use these tools, it may reflect on your cost. Some facilities may also provide a warranty that comes at a price to prevent you from incurring additional costs if you will have to spend extra time at the hospital due to complications.
Wrapping Up
A gastric sleeve surgery cost includes several aspects of the procedure that add up to the final bill. Consultation, healthcare facility, and location are some of the factors that greatly influence the cost. You can reduce the expenses of a gastric sleeve surgery if you opt for certain routes and options.
