When diet and exercise aren’t working as they should and your extra weight is interfering with your health and lifestyle, surgical solutions can help. The pursuit of bariatric surgery is a decision that should be made after serious research, contemplation, and discussion with medical professionals. Even after deciding that you need the surgery, however, you may find that affording it is another matter altogether. If you have insurance that doesn’t cover bariatric surgery or have no insurance, finding the cheapest states to get bariatric surgery as a self-pay patient is critical.
Lowest-Cost US States
Even finding the cheapest states might not resolve your problem, as you can see from the list below. It’s a comprehensive list of all states with an average cost of bariatric surgery below $20,000.
Nevada – $16,500
Nebraska – $11,700
Oklahoma – $19,500
Texas – $17,700
Arkansas – $15,300
Kentucky – $12,600
Georgia – $11,200
Delaware – $19,400
Idaho – $19,900
New Mexico – $17,800
Utah – $18,300
West Virginia – $19,300
These low-end rates likely still seem high. Few of us have the cash to pay out of pocket when costs rise above $10,000.
Solve the Problem
The lack of insurance and high cost of bariatric surgery don’t have to mean that your goals should pass by the wayside. You have two possible solutions: raise more funds or lower the costs.
Raising Funds
Paying for your bariatric surgery without insurance coverage can be done. Your community, family members, and friends will likely be glad to help, and you can also build a compilation of credit sources to fund your surgery. Here are a few ideas to get the wheels turning:
- Crowd-funding
- Personal loans
- Loans secured with assets like real estate, retirement accounts, or life insurance policies
- Sell assets
- Care credit or credit cards
- Fundraising via garage sales, bake sales, etc.
- Tax return
- Payment plan with facility
- Goodwill contributions or loans from family members or friends
Lower the Costs
Arranging for a lower cost bariatric surgery without sacrificing safety or effectiveness is possible by changing location. Rather than having the procedure in the US, consider traveling to Mexico. You’ll find that the safety of the facility and the surgery are maintained while the effectiveness is still largely dependent on how well you follow the plan for after-care.
Bariatric surgery can change your life in so many ways for the better. Every aspect of your life is affected by your weight when you’re obese. Your inner self, your friendships, your romances, your career, and every other element of your life will change as your weight changes. Most importantly, however, losing weight can save your life if your weight has caused Type II diabetes, high blood pressure, or other lifestyle-related illnesses.
Whether you remain in the states with the cheapest options and raise more money, travel to Mexico to pursue the procedure, or combine fundraising with travel, embrace the opportunity to get bariatric surgery. Money shouldn’t stand in the way of a return to health, nor does it have to!
