Tummy Tuck Q&A
94%
WORTH IT RATING
"Worth It Rating" shows the % of consumer reviewers that stated the procedure was "Worth It" or not. See more RealSelf Worth It Ratings or Add Your Review
2,299 Reviews
Tummy Tuckbefore & after photos
View Before and Afters

Average Tummy Tuck Cost: $7,925

Learn about Tummy Tuck

7,723 people and 861 doctors are talking about Tummy Tuck

Get Free Email Updates

Combined Hernia Repair and Abdominalplasty-hospital Wants $80,000, Is This Outrageous? (photo)

asked 4 months ago by Sacramento1166
Latest answer by Robert M. Grenley, MD
Question viewed 413 times
Tags: costs, hernia repair, hospital, opinion

I'm scheduled to have a ventral hernia repair combined with abdominalplasty next week. This may not happen after all because the plastic surgeons office want $80,000 for their procedure because it's taking place in the hospital (this is what they were told by patient services). Insurance is covering the hernia repair. Does this sound familiar to anyone? I was prepared to pay some out of pocket costs, but not this much. I'm in the Sacramento, CA area.

14 answers to Combined Hernia Repair and Abdominalplasty-hospital Wants $80,000, Is This Outrageous? (photo)

+3

Cost of combined hernia and abdominoplasty

What you are being quoted is definitely over the top. The hospital fees are quite outrageous and I would definitely consider a second opinion. The acute care hospital in Houston where I work has very reasonable cash pay prices for cosmetic prices that are less than 10% of what you are being quoted. Add to the surgeon's fee, and the cost of the implant that might be needed for the hernia repair, and I believe you will still end up much much cheaper than $80K. I... more
Young R. Cho, MD, PhD

Houston Plastic Surgeon
+2

Combined Hernia Repair and Abdominalplasty-hospital Wants $80,000, Is This Outrageous? (photo)

I knew I should have set up practice in Sacramento instead of Scottsdale!!!! No, this does not sound anywhere near "right"...And this was just for the Plastic Surgeon???? Time to either re-group with another surgeon or go back in for another explanation but this doesn't make sense...
John J. Corey, MD

Phoenix Plastic Surgeon
+1

Combined Hernia Repair and Abdominalplasty-hospital Wants $80,000, Is This Outrageous?

That price does sound outrageous. I think you need to get some other opinions. I used to do combined hernia repairs and tummy tucks out our hospital, but they did away with their cosmetic private pay discount to patients and so now they are being charged very high fees similar to what the hospital would charge insurance companies. That would run on the order of $5000 per hour for the use of the operating room. Although the hernia repair and the mesh used would be... more
Robert M. Grenley, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+1

Abdominoplasty w/mesh reinforcement ventral herniorrhaphy

Yes, this is OUTRAGEOUS!!!!!! Most plastic surgeons are trained in general surgery and capable of doing the hernia repair at the time of the abdominoplasty. I practice in Houston, Texas and the going cost for an abdominoplasty with ventral hernia repair with mesh is $6,900. This includes the hospital fee, anesthesia fee and physician fee. There has been a recent article published describing the combined technique. Best of Luck, Gary Horndeski, M.D. more
Gary M. Horndeski, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon
+1

Do not tolerate this kind of quote from the hospital

Thank you for your question. This is exactly why many surgeons choose to perform surgery at accredited ambulatory surgery facilities. As long as you are not being admitted you can consider this. If it must be done at a hospital, ask your surgeon if he/she operates at any other hospital and get another quote. Also, ask directly for cosmetic pricing. No one in there right mind would turn over $80,000 to a hospital as a deposit for this type of procedure. I hope this helps. Good luck. more
J. Jason Wendel, MD

Nashville Plastic Surgeon
+1

Costs of Combined Tummy Tuck and Hernia Repair

As you have correctly surmised, those fees are beyond outrageous. They are way out of line with reasonable charges that are done by plastic surgeons just about anywhere in the United States. You need to seek out other opinions in which the surgery would be performed in a non-hospital affiliated surgery center to get a more realistic assessment of normal charges for this operation.
Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD

Indianapolis Plastic Surgeon

www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com

+1

$80,000 is outrageous

A fee of $80,000 sounds like what would be billed for the combined procedures, not just the cosmetic portion. I agree with other; your out of pocket expense should be closer to $8000 or less. Check with the hospital directly to find out their fees and then check back with your plastic surgeon. You may need to switch hospitals or doctors.
Michael S. Hopkins, MD

Albuquerque Plastic Surgeon

www.hopkinsplasticsurgery.com

+1

Abdominoplasty

If the proposed surgery for you is done as out-patient it should not cost more than $ 8,000.00. However if onr night hospitalization was necessary and no complications occured, the total cost for this type of surgery in Minneapolis would not exceed $ 15,000.00. Of course surgical expenses may vary from one stste to the other, but $ 80,000.00 is definitely out of line.
Fereydoon S. Mahjouri, MD

Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon
+1

Outrageous price quoted for combined surgery

The price that you were quoted by your surgeon in Sacramento for a combined abdominoplasty and hernia repair is outrageous. Unless there are significant other medical issues NOT covered by insurance, 80,000 dollars is ridiculous. You state that the insurance company is paying for the hernia repair. The room and anesthesia fees associated with this portion of the procedure should also be covered by anesthesia. I would recommend that you obtain another opinion from a... more
Eric T. Emerson, MD

Charlotte Plastic Surgeon

www.seplasticsurgery.com

+1

Outrageous hospital fees for tummy tuck

Fees of $80,000 for a tummy tuck with hernia repair are something we have all encountered, though they are often adjusted down by insurance contracting. High costs and a poor patient experience have made office based procedures ever more attractive. We suggest a second opinion from a board certified plastic surgeon working in an accredited office surgical suite, and cost may fall by a factor of 8. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd.com
Peter E. Johnson, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1

That's a bit expensive

Thank you for the photo. It does seem a bit expensive for a ventral hernia repair to cost $80,000. Judging by your photo, you may not want to get a standard tummy tuck since your umbilicus will be compromised due to the hernia. Also, since the hernia is so large, you may need a procedure called a "components separation" in order to reconstruct the abdominal wall. Good Luck! Dr. J
Jacob Freiman, MD

Miami Beach Plastic Surgeon
+1

Combined Hernia Repair and Abdominalplasty-hospital Wants $80,000, IS Outrageous

You are correct. Charging 80,000 dollars for a Tummy Tuck (in the course of which a ventral hernia is repaired) is preposterously expensive in my opinion especially if insuranced is already paying part of the cost. I would get a second opinion from a member of The American Society of Plastic Surgery at PlasticSurgeryorg. Good Luck.
Peter A. Aldea, MD

Memphis Plastic Surgeon
+1

Outrageous Fees?

Thank you for the question and picture. Yes, you are correct; the charges of hospital and surgeon are too high. Assuming you're working with a reputable board-certified plastic surgeon, ask for other alternatives ( without compromising safety); otherwise, it may be time to seek other opinions. Best wishes. see video
Tom J. Pousti, MD

San Diego Plastic Surgeon

www.poustiplasticsurgery.com

+1

80K for a tummy tuck and hernia is crazy

If you heard right, this is way too much for the procedures you need. I think you need a new doctor if those are real numbers.
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Ask a question