Weight-loss (bariatric) surgery Cost — Compare Hospital Prices

Weight-loss (bariatric) surgery is a surgical procedure. Prices are from 1858 US hospitals across 51 states, from their machine-readable files.

$25,719median cash price · 1858 hospitals, 51 statestypically $10,591–$70,559 depending on the hospital

≈ 2.2× Medicare · On the higher sideFind hospitals near you

Price comparison (median)

Chargemaster (list price)

$61,690

Cash / self-pay

$25,719

Insurer-negotiated

$18,902

Medicare pays

$11,645

$10,591$70,559

Median cash $25,719 · Medicare $11,645 · bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)

Is this a fair price?

1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $25,719 — about 2.2× the Medicare rate ($11,645). On the higher side. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($23,290).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $61,690 list price could save about $35,972 (58%).

Estimate what you’ll pay

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Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.

Lowest cash prices

See negotiated rates for your insurer:

Hospital	Location	Cash	Insurer	CMS rating	ER wait	Readmit
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Rahway	Rahway, NJ	$4,122	$32,200	★ 4/5	114 min	—
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital-Somerset	Somerville, NJ	$4,122	$32,200	★ 3/5	188 min	—
Washington Hospital	Fremont, CA	$4,978	$5,744	★ 2/5	169 min	—
Opelousas General Health System	Opelousas, LA	$5,188	$2,021	★ 2/5	122 min	—
Jersey City Medical Center	Jersey City, NJ	$5,589	$31,519	★ 3/5	187 min	—
San Joaquin General Hospital	French Camp, CA	$5,815	$10,572	★ 2/5	213 min	—
Adventist Health Delano	Delano, CA	$5,821	$17,464	★ 2/5	150 min	—
Unity Medical Center	Manchester, TN	$7,127	$8,154	★ 3/5	132 min	—
Montgomery County Memorial Hospital	Red Oak, IA	$7,401	$6,766	—	113 min	—
Yalobusha General Hospital	Water Valley, MS	$7,401	—	—	—	—
College Medical Center	Long Beach, CA	$7,929	$10,572	★ 3/5	322 min	—
College Hospital	Cerritos, CA	$7,929	$10,572	—	—	—
Glendora Hospital	Glendora, CA	$7,929	$10,572	—	—	—
Eisenhower Medical Center	Rancho Mirage, CA	$8,836	$15,516	★ 4/5	259 min	—
Baptist Beaumont Hospital	Beaumont, TX	$8,933	$14,787	★ 3/5	207 min	—
Park Place Surgical Hospital	Lafayette, LA	$8,990	$11,469	—	—	—
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Carson	Carson City, MI	$9,055	$23,205	★ 4/5	91 min	—
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Clinton	Saint Johns, MI	$9,055	$2,835	★ 4/5	182 min	—
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Eaton	Charlotte, MI	$9,055	$22,082	★ 1/5	168 min	—
Sparrow Ionia Hospital	Ionia, MI	$9,055	$22,469	★ 2/5	158 min	—
Edward W Sparrow Hospital	Lansing, MI	$9,650	$18,999	★ 3/5	299 min	—
Conway Regional Medical Center, Inc	Conway, AR	$9,691	$10,630	★ 2/5	178 min	—
Valley View Medical Center	Fort Mohave, AZ	$10,005	$11,430	★ 2/5	152 min	—
Doctors Hosptal at Renaissance	Edinburg, TX	$10,572	$16,763	★ 3/5	219 min	—
Saint John Hospital	Leavenworth, KS	$10,665	$13,572	★ 3/5	126 min	—

CMS rating = overall hospital star rating (1–5); ER wait = median minutes in the emergency department; Readmit = 30-day readmission rate (lower is better) — all from Medicare’s Care Compare; “—” = not reported. Data last updated October 2026. Prices from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); Medicare benchmark from CMS PFS/CLFS/IPPS. Prices below 15% of the median are excluded as likely partial or mis-coded charges. Estimates — confirm with the hospital. Report an incorrect price.

What insurers pay for Weight-loss (bariatric) surgery

Median in-network negotiated rate by insurer, across hospitals that publish it (cheapest first). Your actual rate depends on your specific plan and deductible. Cash / self-pay for comparison: $25,719; Medicare pays $11,645.

Insurer	Hospitals	Negotiated median
HealthPartners	119	$1,680 $1,680 – $34,706
MultiPlan / PHCS network	295	$6,522 $1,327 – $37,179
Amerigroup	148	$7,455 $1,010 – $20,977
Medicaid	60	$7,925 $5,827 – $19,200
Workers' Comp / No-Fault	71	$11,183 $9,028 – $30,876
Centene / Ambetter	763	$13,250 $1,400 – $21,047
Medicare	394	$14,310 $9,880 – $25,806
Devoted Health	320	$14,857 $11,470 – $25,501
UnitedHealthcare	1344	$14,921 $3,000 – $37,470
MVP Health Care	38	$14,948 $10,532 – $44,506
Coventry	86	$14,965 $3,995 – $39,118
Tricare / VA	293	$15,394 $9,704 – $30,494
Independent Health	37	$15,435 $9,416 – $24,014
UPMC Health Plan	96	$15,439 $7,257 – $29,980
Humana	1021	$15,506 $4,363 – $49,531
Molina Healthcare	493	$15,633 $7,455 – $29,787
Geisinger	52	$15,804 $62 – $49,439
Kaiser Permanente	242	$15,818 $3,894 – $44,765
Healthcare Highways	49	$16,141 $5,000 – $32,500
Bright Health	66	$16,633 $10,367 – $27,115
Health Net	171	$16,881 $4,316 – $48,729
AmeriHealth	160	$17,339 $9,550 – $42,990
Sanford Health Plan	15	$18,344 $12,234 – $32,894
Univera	10	$19,358 $7,455 – $21,920
AvMed	53	$19,722 $2,797 – $48,751
UCare	20	$19,887 $9,024 – $38,457
Medica	104	$20,764 $6,394 – $41,508
Oscar Health	237	$20,839 $12,449 – $39,050
Priority Health	34	$20,853 $12,026 – $37,915
Highmark	107	$21,043 $10,691 – $45,107
Anthem	441	$21,385 $11,405 – $46,713
Cigna	931	$22,942 $9,564 – $55,196
SelectHealth	40	$23,269 $12,766 – $44,586
Blue Cross Blue Shield	1134	$23,758 $11,022 – $49,929
Security Health Plan	20	$25,388 $11,590 – $60,058
Aetna	1218	$28,751 $3,171 – $41,427
EmblemHealth	77	$30,137 $14,017 – $65,858
Harvard Pilgrim	24	$33,773 $9,776 – $51,307

Negotiated rates are from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); payer names are normalized to major brands, so a brand may span several plans. Estimates — confirm with your insurer.

Where it’s cheapest

State	Median cash
Maine	$3,362
Arkansas	$9,691
Alabama	$10,801
Ohio	$13,106
New Jersey	$13,548
Nevada	$14,093

Prices by city

Prices by state

Doctors who perform this

Clinicians who reported the most Medicare volume for this service. This reflects Original Medicare activity only and is a volume signal, not a quality ranking.

Clinician	Specialty	Location	Medicare services
Andrew Williamson	Physician Assistant	Lenexa, KS	30
Erik Simchuk, MD	General Surgery	Chico, CA	25
Steven Perrins, MD	General Surgery	Chico, CA	18
Morris Washington, M.D.	General Surgery	Myrtle Beach, SC	17
Ajay Upadhyay, MD	General Surgery	Oakland, CA	15
John Eagon, MD	General Surgery	Saint Louis, MO	13
Gregory Walton, MD	General Surgery	Edmond, OK	13
Eric Paul, M.D.	General Surgery	Little Rock, AR	13
John Oldham, M.D.	General Surgery	Louisville, KY	13
Nicholas Fazio, APN	Nurse Practitioner	Little Rock, AR	13
Courtney Doyle, MD.	General Surgery	Annapolis, MD	12
Maleah Paulovich	Physician Assistant	Bryant, AR	12

Browse doctors by specialty & city →

Commonly billed under: MS-DRG 619, MS-DRG 620, MS-DRG 621.

Does Medicare cover Weight-loss (bariatric) surgery?

Yes — Medicare generally covers Weight-loss (bariatric) surgery. It is typically an inpatient service, so Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) pays the hospital a bundled rate — Medicare’s benchmark payment is about $11,645. Your own cost is mainly the Part A hospital deductible for the benefit period (a flat amount, not a percentage), plus any physician (Part B) charges. A Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan can change what you owe.

General guidance from Medicare’s national rates — your actual coverage and share depend on medical necessity, your plan, and where the service is performed. Confirm with Medicare or your plan.

About these prices

Based on prices published by 1858 US hospitals across 51 states, the typical (median) cash price is $25,719, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $61,690, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $18,902, a Medicare rate of about $11,645. Most cash prices fall between $10,591 and $70,559 — a wide spread, which is exactly why comparing hospitals pays off.

How to save

Ask each hospital for its cash / self-pay price — for shoppable services it is often far below the list price.
Compare several nearby hospitals; prices for the same service can differ severalfold.
Request a written estimate and the billing code (CPT/DRG) before scheduling.
Use the Medicare benchmark above to judge whether a quote is reasonable.
If you are uninsured, ask about financial assistance or prompt-pay discounts.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Weight-loss (bariatric) surgery cost without insurance?

The median cash (self-pay) price across 1858 US hospitals is $25,719. Most hospitals fall between $10,591 and $70,559. Prices vary widely between hospitals, so it pays to compare before you book.

Does Medicare cover Weight-loss (bariatric) surgery?

Yes — it is generally covered under Medicare Part A as an inpatient service (Medicare's benchmark payment is about $11,645). You pay the Part A hospital deductible for the benefit period, plus any Part B physician charges.

What does Medicare pay for Weight-loss (bariatric) surgery?

Medicare pays about $11,645. We show this as a benchmark — a fair cash price is often within a few multiples of the Medicare rate.

Why do Weight-loss (bariatric) surgery prices vary between hospitals?

Hospitals set their own chargemaster and cash prices and negotiate different rates with each insurer, so two hospitals in the same area can charge very differently for the same service.

Is the cash price lower than using insurance?

Sometimes. If you are uninsured or have a high deductible, the cash/self-pay price can be lower than the insurer-negotiated rate — ask the hospital for both.

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