Lap Band Surgery Cost

One cannot put a price tag on good health and optimum quality of life. This is the mindset that overweight and obese individuals should have so they can successfully lose weight. If there is one weight loss solution that is rather worth spending, it is the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgery.

Although a one-hour lap band procedure may translate to $30,000 worth of medical costs and expenses, just imagine the advantages and health benefits that you can obtain after successful operation.
Further discussion on the breakdown of the cost of lap band surgery is but necessary, especially among individuals who are seriously considering changing their lives for the better by undergoing this weight loss surgical procedure.

Before anything else, a quick overview of lap band surgery as a bariatric surgical operation is essential. This will further give readers an idea of what it does and why it is considered as a tried and tested weight loss strategy.

What is Lap Band Surgery?

A lap band is a silicone device placed around the topmost portion of a patient’s stomach. This ring decreases the size and capacity of the stomach, thereby signaling the brain a general feeling of satiety. Once this is achieved, the appetite of a patient is decreased dramatically, thereby inducing slow but consistent weight loss results.

It should be remembered that lap band surgery is both restrictive and reversible. This means that the mechanism of weight loss is achieved by slowing down the passage of food from the stomach to the remaining parts of the digestive system. This leads to better absorption of nutrients as well. Since there is decreased appetite, lap band patients will not experience any food cravings or hunger pangs in between major meals of the day.

Once dramatic weight loss results are achieved, a patient may choose to have the lap band adjusted. By general principle, lap band surgery should only be a stepping stone towards a slimmer body and healthier lifestyle. It offers permanent and remarkable weight loss results. However, that doesn’t mean that patients should only be dependent on the weight loss effects that it causes the body. Healthy eating and positive lifestyle changes should be religiously observed so fat loss from successful lap band surgery can be maintained for a longer time.

How Much Does a Lap Band Surgery Cost?

A lap band surgery features a price range from $12,500 to $30,000. There are several factors which are taken into account when it comes to determining the cost of a lap band surgery.
Listed below are some of these factors:

• Preoperative laboratory fees and diagnostic exam costs

Standard diagnostic tests are performed on a patient prior to surgery. The information gathered from preoperative laboratory results are also made as basis if a person is truly eligible for a lap band surgery or not.

• Hospital Fees

Medical facilities which specialize in bariatric surgery are known to charge higher hospital facility fees. Interested candidates are advised to look around hospitals and clinics first before signing up for a lap band surgery. It is but ideal to find the greatest deals under health care centers which are known to be staffed with highly skilled bariatric specialists.

• Bariatric Surgeon’s Fees

A large portion of lap band surgery cost is attributed to professional fees paid to the attending bariatric surgeon. A doctor with years of experience and training under his belt may warrant patients to pay a substantial amount for their services.

Since a lap band procedure requires expert hands to guide the laparoscopic equipment and tools, it is rather ideal to choose only the best surgeon in your city or state. By doing so, you will be sure that the surgery will be successful and will be relatively shorter in duration as well.

• Follow up visits for “fills” and adjustments

Lap band patients should make it a habit to visit their doctors regularly. During the first few weeks after surgery, follow up visits are a must as adjustments are to be made by a bariatric surgeon from time to time. Implementing follow up visits regularly will ensure that the lap band collar is still in place and is working to its optimum potential as a weight loss aid.

External Factors That Affect Lap Band Surgery Cost

• Patient’s geographical location

• Just like everything else, the cost of products and services, such as lap band surgery in urban areas is more expensive compared to the affordable price that can be taken advantage of in less dense cities and locations.

• Type of lap band procedure

• Additional costs may be incurred if a patient is advised to stay in the hospital for a few days to closely ensure recovery. Outpatient lap band procedures are generally cheaper as hospital facility fees are not included to the overall cost.

• Health Insurance Policy

• Your health insurance provider may be able to fully or partially cover your lap band operation. Planning should be carefully made so you can prepare the documentations that will be needed by your insurance provider so they can approve of your authorization request for a lap band surgery.

• Added lap band surgery costs

• Additional procedures which may be performed after the surgery include excess skin removal, body contouring, liposuction, breast lift, and even facelift operation. These operations are typically not be covered by a patient’s health insurance policy and are paid separately by the patient.

Lap band surgery may not be the cheapest weight loss strategy that is offered to the general public. However, it can ensure you healthier and safer weight loss results achieved at a relatively fast rate.

Obesity or being overweight is a problem among a majority of Americans in recent years. It is a condition that affects almost 75% of the US population. This is rather an alarming rate considering that the prevalence of obesity nearly quadrupled since the late 1990s. Thousands of weight loss Read More…