The actual costs of your LAP-BAND^® System will depend on your individual situation, including your health plan, the surgeon/hospital you choose, and whether you have an inpatient (overnight) or outpatient (same day) procedure. That said, there may be many ways to cover the costs of your LAP-BAND^® System procedure, including insurance, Medicare, or private financing. Once you find a certified LAP-BAND^® System surgeon, they, along with the experts at our free reimbursement hotline (1-800-LAP-BAND), can help you understand your insurance coverage and financing options.

Insurance and Health Plans

Private insurance (HMO or PPO) or Medicare will often cover some, if not all, of the costs of your LAP-BAND^® System procedure. Usually an approval is required before you can have the surgery. Navigating the insurance system on your own can be challenging. Let us help you learn more about the insurance process. See a list of some plans that cover the LAP-BAND^® System and find out what you can do if you receive a denial for coverage.

Financing your LAP-BAND^® System Surgery

Don’t worry if your insurance doesn’t cover the cost of LAP-BAND^® System surgery. Flexible Payment Plans are available through CareCredit^®.

The Personal Costs of Obesity

With today’s rising health costs, it’s normal to wonder if now is the time to consider the LAP-BAND^® System. But you should know: extra weight often goes hand in hand with extra financial burden. Studies show obesity increases a person’s healthcare costs by 36% and medication costs by 77%, compared with people in a normal weight range.¹ Knowing this, you may want to consider your own:

• Out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.
• Prescription and over-the-counter medication costs.
• Doctors/specialists, office visits, lab work, physical therapists, etc.
• Employment inactivity (missed work).
• Nonsurgical weight loss programs (WeightWatchers^®, Jenny Craig^®, etc.).
• Increased grocery and dining costs.

For this reason, acting now — using the LAP-BAND^® System to significantly reduce your weight — may also reduce your weight-related costs.

Click here to read Shape Up America!’s, a not-for-profit organization committed to raising awareness of obesity as a health issue and to providing responsible information on healthy weight management, press release regarding its open letter to Congress to address the health needs of the obese within healthcare reform.