Gastric Band Costs
A critical part of you decision as to get Gastric Band Surgery is knowing whether insurance will pay for it or not. Without insurance coverage, you must pay for surgery yourself. Since it is an investment in their quality of life and health, most people feel that this surgery is worth the cost, even without insurance. The cost of the procedure will vary by facility selected and geographic market, as Gastric Band surgery cost vary widely from state to state and country to country. The cost of the procedure is also determined the hospital where the procedure is to be performed and by the surgeon you select to perform the procedure. The cost usually ranges from $16,000 to $25,000, depending on the surgeon and hospital fees. The hospital purchases the device, and it is usually billed to you as a part of the entire cost of the procedure. However, financial barriers shouldn't come before your health. Don't be discouraged if your insurance doesn't cover surgery, as there are other financing options available. The cost associated with Gastric Band surgery has substantially decreased over recent years. It may be possible that you will incur little or no cost at all, if it is determined that you qualify due to medical necessity.
Gastric Band surgery has been an effective cure for certain types of hypertension, diabetes, and other severe health conditions as demonstrated by continuously improving patient outcomes. Often, as previously stated, there is no cost at all to the patient if they have insurance. Whether or not the procedure and related costs are covered by health insurance depends on your insurance company, your specific policy, and your state, among other factors. If Gastric Band surgery is not covered by your insurance or your insurance policy has an exclusion to not cover the surgery, you will need to cover your costs yourself. This is referred to as being a self pay patient. Paying for surgery "out-of-pocket" is commonly referred to as self pay and is far less expensive that it has been in the past. Studies show that after surgery the patient has experienced less discrimination in the work place, increased earnings, and have seen and considerable overall improvement in the quality of their life.
If you don’t have insurance, or your insurance will not pay for your surgery, as is common with weight loss surgery, there are ways to afford the health care you need, even though it means you must pay for the procedure yourself. Although self pay surgery is not ideal, it may be a better option than life without surgery, which may mean living with an unhealthy condition or in constant pain. Also, you may want to explore self pay options even if you have insurance as most insurance companies only pay a portion of the bill leaving the rest for you to pay. Therefore it may be cheaper in the long run for you to pay for the surgery yourself rather than paying for part of it now and the rest and more when your insurance rates go up.
