How much does a sleeve gastrectomy cost?

In general some of the things that your insurance company will not cover include post operative support in such areas as exercise and diet counseling. Additionally, they may not cover the cost of vitamins and other supplements that are required post-surgery. If your sleeve gastrectomy is part of a 'stepped' approach, then you will need to also investigate whether or not subsequent bariatric treatments in the process will be covered. The removal of excess skin, lifts to sagging body areas, the treatment of fat deposits, breast reductions or any other cosmetic surgery will most likely not be covered.

Before having any surgery you should talk to your surgeon and ask as many questions as you can think to ask. Amongst other things your surgeon should be able to give you a good idea of the costs involved. Some surgeons will quote a price that covers everything while others will only quote the price of the surgery itself and so you need to be clear on which cost you are being given. Ask about the cost of any secondary surgeries that may be needed. Ask the surgeon if you will receive a discount on any secondary surgeries and ask how much your insurance will cover of all surgeries combined. You should also find out if your insurance would cover the cost of any surgeries needed due to complications from the sleeve gastrectomy surgery. You can also ask the surgeon if they offer any sort of payment plan or options for any cost that is not covered by your insurance company.

If you do opt to have this surgery then what can you expect? First, you should understand that this is a relatively new form of bariatric treatment which is showing some very promising results. Although we might have given you the impression that this procedure is expensive, it is actually one of the least expensive bariatric procedures. This procedure has fewer complications than other forms of weight loss surgery and requires no adjustment after the initial surgery. The surgery will remove approximately 85% of your stomach leaving your stomaching looking like a sleeve, hence the name. The sleeve gastrectomy will also leave the outlet valve and nerves to the stomach intact, which is not the case with many other bariatric treatments. This means that although the stomach is significantly smaller it will still operate as it did prior to your surgery.

Because your stomach works very much as it did before your operation there are fewer restrictions on the foods which you can consume. You will have to eat much less, but you will be able to eat the same foods as before the surgery. The biggest advantage of this surgery is that it does not involve any bypass of the intestinal tract. This not only cuts down on the cost of the surgery but it also means that you avoid virtually all of the complications associated with intestinal bypass. There will not be any intestinal obstruction, anemia, osteoporosis and vitamin or protein deficiency.

This surgery is also good for those people who might be considered high risk for other bariatric surgeries. As with any surgery there are problems that can possibly arise, but they are more limited with this surgery. If you are considering sleeve gastrectomy surgery, or any other type of bariatric surgery, you should consult with your doctor and surgeon both beforehand. It is also advisable to consult with your health insurance company and have them tell you exactly what parts of the procedure they will or will not cover.