The cost of gastric bypass surgery varies considerably depending upon a whole host of factors including the type of surgery being undertaken and the hospital and surgeon being used, amongst other things, so trying to give any sort estimate is difficult. This said, as a ballpark figure, you can expect to pay anywhere from about $15,000 at the lower end of the scale for a simple procedure up to about $35,000 or $40,000 at the top end of the scale.
It is important to note at this stage however that these figures are simply for the cost of the surgery itself, plus associated hospital costs, and do not include pre-operative or post-operative costs. In addition, and very significantly, they do not include any costs which might be incurred as a result of complications.
Gastric bypass surgery can be complex and morbidly obese patients are often suffering from a range of other conditions, often brought on or exacerbated by their obesity. As a result, complication rates can be high and, although many complications are relatively minor and easily and inexpensively treated, others can result in extensive post-operative treatment. In short, you may well start out with an estimated cost in the region of $35,000 and come out at the end of the day spending more than twice this sum.
Pre-operative costs are usually, but not always, quite low and you should ask your doctor to give you full details of the likely costs involved. It is not uncommon for example for bariatric patients to require pre-operative blood testing before being accepted for surgery and these test can typically be in the region of $250.
Similarly, you should ask your surgeon for an estimate of any post-operative costs. Many surgeons will strongly recommend that you undergo nutritional counseling for some considerable time after surgery and the cost of such counseling can mount rapidly.
One extremely important factor to consider is the role played by the insurance companies. Many insurance companies now consider that it is acceptable to provide cover for gastric bypass surgery but the majority will both restrict the forms of surgery for which they provide cover and will also approve cover only for ‘qualified’ candidates. You will also need to read the small print of your policy carefully as there will invariable be some aspects of your surgery, particularly pre-operative and post-operative work, that will probably not be covered.
As with any thing in life the ‘advertised’ price is rarely the price that you end up paying and, before embarking on gastric bypass surgery, you should do your homework and make sure you are prepared for the unexpected.
