Cost of Weight Loss Surgery

The most common questions about the costs of weight loss gastric banding or gastric bypass stomach surgery are:

Q. What is the typical cost of bariatric surgical operations like Lapband® gastric banding, or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass?

Q. Does medical health insurance cover weight loss surgical procedures?

What's the Cost of Stomach Surgery?

The typical cost of a gastric-bypass operation is about $25,000 - depending on what post-operative support programs are provided.

Does Medical Insurance Cover Gastric Bypass or Other Bariatric Surgeries?

Medical insurance coverage varies by state and insurance provider. Several states have passed legislation requiring insurers to offer weight loss surgery for patients, providing it meets health criteria laid down by the National Institutes of Health. However, getting insurance approval by yourself can be a time-consuming process.

What is the Best Way to Get Insurance Cover for Weight Loss Surgery?

Ideally, work with your surgeon/doctor and get him to explain to your health insurance provider that the proposed surgery is not a cosmetic procedure but an operation which will help you minimize major health problems later in life.

Once your insurance company understands that the surgical operation is a money-saving procedure, they often agree to provide cover. Some bariatric centers claim an 80 percent success-rate for obtaining insurer-approval in this way.