The Cost of Lap Band Surgery: High Price or Wise Investment?

The cost of lap band surgery varies widely, depending on the patient’s medical history, specific needs, and the reputation and facilities of the clinic being used. In many cases, the lap band adjustable gastric banding system begins at about $20,000 and increases with complications or with multiple adjustments. Getting this type of gastric banding system surgery done with a very experienced doctor who has a good reputation may cost more, while an operation done outside the country may cost less. Many people, however, see the costs associated with gastric banding system surgery to be an investment, as the long-term effects of obesity are far more costly than the surgery itself.

In addition to the original price of the gastric banding system surgery, you also need to consider other types of expense that come with this system. Above the costs associated with the operation itself, the adjustable gastric banding system also incurs a price in the sense that you will be in the hospital for at least two days, you will require the help of a nutritionist to adjust to post-operation eating, and you may need additional hospital stays and follow-up visits if your lap band device needs adjusting or if there are complications from the surgery. Since most types of health insurance either do not pay at all for the adjustable gastric banding system or pay very little towards it, you need to consider the total price of the system before deciding on the procedure. In the future, some experts predict that most health insurance providers will help you with adjustable gastric banding systems and similar obesity surgeries, since these surgeries are less expensive than the costs of obesity in the long-term, but this is still in the future of most health insurance policies.