How Much Does Lap-Band Surgery Cost? Price and Procedure Guide

A balanced diet and regular exercise are key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but if they haven’t been enough to help you reach your weight loss goals, you aren’t alone. Bariatric — or weight loss — surgeries may also be an option.

While a variety of bariatric procedure options are on the market, one to consider is the Lap-Band® (laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding) system.

What Is Lap-Band Surgery?

Lap-Band is one type of bariatric surgery designed to help people lose weight. The procedure uses an adjustable silicone band to reduce the size of the stomach, decreasing the amount of food that can be consumed. As a laparoscopic procedure, it is minimally invasive, requiring only small incisions in the upper abdomen.¹

Although Lap-Band was one of the most popular weight loss procedures in the early 2010s — accounting for over a third of all bariatric surgeries — other procedures, like gastric sleeve and gastric bypass procedures, have become more common in recent years.²

If you're interested in weight loss surgery, you should discuss the various bariatric procedures with your surgeon to determine which will be the best fit for you.

Good Candidates for Lap-Band Surgery

Lap-Band is a surgical treatment for those with severe obesity. Ideal candidates for Lap-Band may include those who:¹

• Have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher
• Have a BMI of 35 or greater along with an obesity-related condition, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure or other serious cardiopulmonary issues
• Have not had long-term success losing weight with other methods

Benefits of Lap-Band Surgery

Although there are many different types of bariatric surgery to consider, Lap-Band offers several benefits:³

• Minimally invasive procedure
• Reduced chance of nutritional deficiencies compared to other bariatric procedures
• Less expensive than some other bariatric procedures
• Band can be adjusted without additional surgery
• No “dumping syndrome” (diarrhea and nausea caused by food moving too quickly from the stomach to the small intestine, which can happen with bariatric procedures that shorten the digestive tract)

How Much Does Lap-Band Surgery Cost?

The national average cost* of Lap-Band surgery is $14,506, with costs ranging from $11,327 t0 $26,989.⁴

The cost of Lap-Band surgery can be impacted by the surgeon’s experience, geographic location and length of hospital stay, as well as medical tests, follow-up appointments and dietary programs.⁴

Cost of Lap-Band surgery by state/district

Below is a breakdown of the average cost* of Lap-Band surgery in all 50 states and the District of Columbia:⁴

Is Lap-Band Surgery Covered by Insurance?

Bariatric surgeries such as Lap-Band may be covered by insurance; however, you may need to meet certain requirements as outlined by your insurance provider. These could include minimum body mass index, as well as documentation of previous weight loss attempts and preparation for bariatric surgery:⁵

BMI requirements

• BMI of 40 or greater
• BMI of 35 or greater along with an obesity-related condition such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure or other serious cardiopulmonary issues

Documentation requirements

• Active participation in a weight loss program for at least three to six months
• Clearing a medical evaluation
• Clearing a mental health evaluation
• Nutritional counseling

Check with your insurance provider to determine whether Lap-Band is covered by your policy and what requirements must be met. If your policy doesn’t cover weight loss surgery, the CareCredit credit card can be used to help pay for the procedure cost over time.**

How Does Lap-Band Surgery Work?

Here’s what you can expect before, during and after a Lap-Band procedure.

Preparation

Bariatric surgeries like Lap-Band require both physical and mental preparation for the eating and lifestyle changes that are required for weight loss success.

Before a Lap-Band procedure, your doctor will likely require preoperative tests or evaluations, which may include:⁶

• General physical
• Blood work
• Nutritional counseling
• Endoscopy¹
• Bariatric surgery education classes to learn about the post-procedure changes to your body and diet
• Mental health evaluation

If you smoke, you will asked to stop smoking in the weeks before the procedure and to share with your medical team any vitamins, supplements or medications you are taking.⁶

Although bariatric surgery requires you to prepare to make physical changes in your eating habits, it’s just as important to prepare mentally for the changes and challenges that can come during recovery. Some surgery centers may require nutritional counseling and support groups to help you understand and adjust to the quantity of food that can be consumed, redefine fullness and how to handle social eating situations.

Procedure

The Lap-Band procedure takes 30 to 60 minutes and is usually performed as an outpatient procedure.⁶ After receiving general anesthesia, the surgeon will make several small incisions on the upper abdomen to insert the laparoscope — a thin tube with a camera — and the needed surgical instruments.¹

The surgeon will then use the surgical tools to place a silicone band filled with saline around the upper stomach to make a pouch. A small port with a tube connected to the silicone band will be placed under the skin of the abdomen, allowing the tightness of the band and therefore the size of the stomach to be adjusted by adding or removing saline. The surgeon will then close any incisions.¹

Recovery

After a Lap-Band procedure, you must follow a liquid-only diet for the first one to two weeks. You will then gradually transition to pureed food, very soft foods and then eventually regular food by six weeks post-surgery. Your surgical team will provide you with a schedule of when to transition.⁶

During the healing process and transition to solid food, it is important to eat very small meals, chew well and eat slowly.¹

You will have follow-up appointments to oversee the healing process, check for nutritional deficiencies and discuss adjusting the tightness of the band. Based on weight loss progress or issues with being able to keep food down, the surgeon may use the port to tighten or loosen the band, adjusting the size of your stomach.¹

Possible Side Effects of Lap-Band Surgery

There are a variety of potential side effects from Lap-Band surgery. Although it is a minimally invasive procedure, there are still possible complications from the surgery, including blood clots, infection or reaction to the anesthesia.⁶

Lap-Band itself also comes with potential complications, including:⁶

• Band slippage
• Band intolerance or infection
• Heartburn or stomach ulcers
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Internal scarring
• Movement, flipping, infection or other issues with the port

Although the Lap-Band procedure has relatively few short-term side effects, an estimated 15% to 60% of patients will have long-term complications that require additional operations for adjustments, repositioning or removal.⁷ In those cases, ask your surgeon about alternative gastric procedures that might be more suitable.

Lap-Band Surgery Results

Lap-Band is not an overnight weight loss solution. The procedure works slowly over time to help patients lose an average of 40% of their excess body weight within three years of the surgery.⁸

Final results from Lap-Band surgery are often slower and lower than some other gastric surgeries. Results will also vary based on an individual's starting weight, tolerance of the Lap-Band, adherence to eating guidelines and other lifestyle factors.⁶

Although Lap-Band is designed to be a permanent solution to address weight loss, data shows that more than half of all bands are removed within 10 years of the initial procedure due to complications or unsatisfactory weight loss.⁹

Alternatives to Lap-Band Surgery

Lap-Band is just one type of bariatric procedure to consider. If you're interested in weight loss surgeries, you may also want to discuss other surgical options with your doctor. Two of the most popular procedures include gastric sleeve and gastric bypass surgery.

• Gastric sleeve surgery: Also called a vertical sleeve gastrectomy, this procedure removes roughly 75% of the stomach, leaving just a sleeve-shaped tube, to restrict food intake. Patients can see an average of 60% loss of excess weight.¹⁰
• Gastric bypass surgery: Also known as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB), this procedure creates a small pouch in the stomach that is then connected directly to the small intestine, shortening the digestive tract and decreasing the amount of nutrients and calories absorbed. Patients can see an average of 50% to 65% weight loss.¹¹

Frequently Asked Questions About Lap-Band Surgery

Do you still have questions about lap-band surgery? Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about this surgical procedure.

Financing Lap-Band Surgery With the CareCredit Credit Card

Ready to revitalize your appearance and boost your confidence? The CareCredit credit card makes it easy to pay for Lap-Band surgery and related expenses not covered by health insurance.** Use our Acceptance Locator to find a doctor or cosmetic surgeon near you that accepts CareCredit so you can stop dreaming and start living your best life. Continue your wellness journey by downloading the CareCredit Mobile App to manage your CareCredit account, find a provider on the go and easily access the Well U blog for more great articles, podcasts and videos.

In addition to cosmetic procedures, you can also use your CareCredit credit card for dentistry, pet care, vision, hearing, health systems, dermatology, pharmacy purchases, spa treatments and so much more within the CareCredit network. How will you invest in your health and wellness next?

Author Bio

Kate Bayless is a health and wellness freelance writer with 15 years of experience. Her work has appeared in Parents, Women's Health, Beachbody and OpenFit.