Gastric band is one of the most famous types of weight loss surgery. It is classified as a less-invasive one, which means the surgery does not need too much cuts or incisions. It does not cause lots of scarring as well, hence making the recovery time shorter.
If you are interested in weight loss surgery, especially the lap-bad type, here is the detailed information about that kind of surgery, particularly on the cost you have to pay to get this procedure.
What Is Gastric Band Surgery?
As we know, the gastric band surgery becomes popular among those who need to lose massive amount of excess weight. It works very well in helping someone to shed the weight. The surgery, also known as lap-band, is done to basically make the size of stomach smaller by placing a band inside the stomach. By reducing the size, the amount of food that can be accommodated by stomach is fewer. It will eventually help the patient to lose significant amount of weight.
The surgery works even better because it meddles with the digestion system. The lap-band surgery slows down the digestive system and makes foods get processed inside the stomach in longer period. It eventually makes someone feels full for longer time.
Becoming one of the most famous types of weight loss surgery certainly makes the cost of lap-band procedure an interesting topic. A lot of people want to know how much money they need to prepare in order to get their hands on the surgery. For those who are looking for the answer of gastric band cost, here is the detailed information about that particular subject.
Gastric Band Surgery Cost In LA & New York
Talking about how much the gastric band surgery costs is not going to give you a fixed price. Of course, the eventual price that you have to pay for the surgery depends on so many factors. They are including the area where you live, whether or not you have health insurance, the class of hospital you choose, and many other factors.
Usually, patients who are covered by health insurance will be charged higher compared to patient with no insurance coverage. The lap-band surgery in big, major cities, such as in LA and New York, is relatively cheaper compared to the surgery in other areas. The cost for lap-band can take anywhere from $15,800 to $35,500. Again, everything will depend heavily on many factors, especially the location of the patient. In average, people of the USA pay $30,000 (approx.) for the surgery.
Components Involved in Gastric Band Surgery Cost
The eventual cost that you have to pay at the end is made up from a lot of components and factors. If you have been wondering what makes the price of lap-band surgery is so expensive, below are the components that usually make up the cost of this procedure.
- Hospital Charges: The biggest component to make up the overall cost of the gastric band surgery is the hospital charge. The more well-established the hospital, the more expensive the weight loss surgery cost would be. The hospital charge usually includes the cost for bed stay and the charge for the actual operating session.
- The Surgeon’s Fee: The surgeon is the most important person in operating session. He will be in charge during the entire process. This is why the surgeon’s fee usually is very high and makes the overall cost of a lap-band surgery quite expensive. However, the surgeon’s fee can be different in one hospital to another. It heavily depends on the area where the surgeon lives, the complexity of the lap-band procedure, and of course on the expertise of surgeon.
- Equipment Fee: Performing a lap-band surgery is something that the hospital will never take for granted. That is why the equipment and tools are naturally prepared so carefully. There are many types of equipment used during the procedure, including the actual gastric band that will be inserted into the stomach. In addition, the special tools such as incision device are also needed. Patients need to pay for all of the equipment at the end.
Additional Cost to Pay After Gastric Band Surgery
The overall cost above is sometimes not the only price you have to pay for the entire gastric band surgery journey. There are many other costs, sometimes considered as additional cost that you have to pay. Here are some of them.
- Consultation Fee: Way before someone can get onto the operating table and have lap-surgery, a lot of process and research will have to be done. Consultation with professionals, including with the surgeon and other doctors are needed. Consultation fee is going to cost around $120 to $150, depend on the hospital.
- The Professional Fee: During the operation, the surgeon is not the only professionals in the room. There are also some anesthesiologists and some surgical assistants. Most hospitals do not include their fees in the main bills. This is why you need to pay for their fees in the additional cost.
- Follow-Up Procedures: One of the trickiest things about gastric band surgery is the fact that the follow-up procedures need to be taken seriously. Because the surgery meddles with the size of the stomach, the food inside the stomach, and the digestive system, the patient needs to be closely supervised by professional nutritionist for several weeks after the surgery. This procedure can cost you $50 to $100 for one visit by the nutritionist.
Conclusion
Now you know the amount of money you need to prepare before taking the surgery. Even though you need a lot of money, lap-band is really a great type of weight loss surgery to take. Besides of the fact that the band placed inside your stomach can be removed anytime, the surgery also works very well in reducing 50-70 % of the weight in just 12-18 months. This is basically why everyone who has problems with obesity should really consider gastric band surgery as the solution to the health problem.
