Breast Reduction Q&A
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How Much Does Breast Reduction Cost?

asked 3 years ago by anon
Latest answer by Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS
Question viewed 40,475 times
Tags: breasts, costs, price

I am quite sure my insurance plan cant cover the cost of breast reduction surgery. They don't consider it a medical necessity even though my breasts are causing me severe back pain and neck aches. About how much is a great plastic surgeon going to charge for a breast reduction? Does this include anesthesia too?  Warm thank you for helping me

33 answers to How Much Does Breast Reduction Cost?

+1

You can always pay less for an inferior product...........

Most Breast Reductions are covered by insurance. Private pay Breast Reductions range from 10- 25,ooo$ . It depends on your individual case and the skill and experience of your surgeon. Be careful not to choose the cheapest. Often you get what you pay for. Good Luck.
Grant Stevens, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

marinaplasticsurgery.com

+7

Breast Reduction cost

Plastic surgery fees vary greatly depending on geographic area and the expertise of the surgeon. Breast reduction fees also very depending on the extent of the reduction required. Breast reduction fees generally are between $5000 and $15000.
Kris M. Reddy, MD, FACS

West Palm Beach Plastic Surgeon
+3

Breast Reduction Cost

The fees for a cosmetic breast reduction will vary based on a number of factors including your geographical location, the time needed, the facility fee, and the anesthesia fees. At The Sullivan Centre in Columbus, Ohio, the total fee for a cosmetic breast reduction is about $5,600- $6,200. Contact a reputable, board certified plastic surgeon in your area to determine the fees. Best of luck!
Christine Sullivan, MD

Columbus Plastic Surgeon
+2

Breast Reduction Fees

In Denver, the fees for breast reduction range from about $7,000 -$11,000, depending on the surgeon and the location of the procedure (surgery center or hospital).
Paul C. Zwiebel, MD

Denver Plastic Surgeon
+2

Breast Reduction Cost in Baltimore

The cost for a breast reduction in my Facility includes the following: Total cost= surgeon's fee + OR + anesthesia At my AAAASF accredited surgery center in Baltimore, our total breast reduction cost is approximately $6000 total. If you do not have insurance, this amount can be financed. If you are approved by insurance they will usually pay the majority of the cost. However, the usual requirement in Maryland is that you must have at least 500cc of breast tissue removed from each breast... more
Ricardo Rodriguez, MD

Baltimore Plastic Surgeon
+2

Breast Reduction Cost

Many factors involved, some fixed and others depend on your anatomy and medical condition if not covered by insurance. The technique of reduction (Wise pattern or anchor scar versus vertical or keyhole scar versus liposuction) also contribute to cost as one technique may take longer than another; larger breasts mean longer operating room time to complete the surgery; whether the surgeon operates in a hospital or in a surgery center are also issues to take into consideration. I recommend... more
John Philip Connors III, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+2

Atlanta Breast Reduction Price $6,550.00

If insurance denies coverage of your breast reduction the cost of the breast reduction at our facility is $6,550.00. This includes the physicians fee, anesthesia fee, facility fee and all of your follow up visits after surgery. Keep in mind that most surgery centers in this day and time have payment plans. The additional costs would be a lab work up, prescriptions, and pathology.
Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+2

Depends on the region and the doctor

Unfortunately, many medical insurance compaie are pulling away from covering breast reduction surgery. More unfortunately, those who still do cover it generally only pay the doctor a tiny fraction of the bill. It takes 3+ hours in most cases for a well skilled plastic surgeon to do a full breast reduction because of the shaping and sewing needed to give you the best result. You should save your money and go to the best person because you only want to do this once. The cost would vary... more
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+2

Breast reduction cost depends on the region

It depends upon where you would be having the procedure done. Typically the surgeon's fee in the southeast is $5000 - 6000 with anesthesia and OR fees being $1500 - 3000. I would guess that in California, it might be more than this. Check with a plastic surgeon that has a certified OR in his facility, as costs sometimes can be controlled more at a private center.
Scott Tucker, MD

Winston Salem Plastic Surgeon
+2

Cost of a Breast reduction

The cost of a breast reduction varies from state to state. Currently in southern Oregon, the going rate is around $6000.00 for the surgery, operating room, and anesthesia (whole package). The surgeries performed here are done on an out-patient basis in a State certified ambulatory surgery center. 
Robert M. Jensen, MD

Medford Plastic Surgeon
+1

Orange County Breast Reduction Cost

The survey done by RealSelf indicates that Breast Reduction Average Cost ≈ $5,789. In Orange County, CA, I would estimate the cost by a board certified plastic surgeon to range from $5500 to $1200 depending on the complexity, length of surgery, experience of surgeon and different surgeon price structure, variation in surgery center fees, whether an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist is involved, etc.. An estimate of total costs should be provided to you in advance more
Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS

Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast Reduction - How Much Does Breast Reduction Cost?

This is a fair question but there is no simple or straight-forward answer. Fees vary widely, both from one region or area to another, but even within a given region. There are many reasons for that. These include the surgeon's experience and expertise, reputation, and many other factors. The best advice I can give is to do your research online and other ways before-hand (speak with doctors, previous patients, etc., to the extent that you can) and then go see... more
Alan Engler, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

Cost of Breast Reduction

The cost can vary greatly, depending on your geographical area, the experience and popularity of the surgeon you choose, and which type of breast reduction surgery you have. If the breasts are extremely pendulous requiring additional time and work, the procedure will cost more. Every breast reduction surgery is unique, so it is unrealistic to try to get a quote before having a consultation and exam. However to give you a generalized idea, for my practice in the San Francisco Bay Area, the... more
Miguel Delgado, Jr., MD

San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

www.dr-delgado.com

+1

Cost of breast reduction surgery

The cost in NY is between $10,000 and $12,500 depending on the length of surgery and facility charges. However, before assuming that your insurance will not pay for the procedure, do your homework. Research their guidelines and, if medical management is required, then follow through. The insurance companies put hurdles in your way for a reason. They hope that you'll pay for the surgery yourself now instead of trying to follow their rules. It's an expensive surgery so check your... more
Robert L. Kraft, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon

www.foresthillsplasticsurgery.com

+1

Cost for Breast Reduction Surgery

You will find many different answers depending on who your ask. Cost will vary depending on many factors.... first of all it differs depending on if a board certified plastic surgeon is performing the surgery or not. Also, if the surgery is performed in a hospital based operating room vs. an office setting, if a board certified anesthesiologist is involved vs. a nurse (or sometimes performing procedures under local anesthesia), etc. Please be careful when doing your... more
Tom J. Pousti, MD

San Diego Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast reduction and teenagers

I would say this is one of the commoner questions being asked on this board. Obviously there is no right answer. The biggest drawback are the scars which in the younger patient especially with such a large reduction can be highly visible. Look into the "Scarless", liposuction only reduction. It is certainly not ideal especially in the younger patient where the breast can be highly fibrous but for very little effort it is more than likely someone can get you down one or maybe more... more
Sherwood Baxt, MD

New Jersey Plastic Surgeon
+1

Cost of Breast Reduction Surgery

Do not assume that your surgery will not be covered by your insurance.  It would be worth it to consult with a participating plastic surgeon who can help check on this for you.  If not covered by insurance, the costs will vary depending on the geographic area.  Our surgical fees for breast reduction surgery varies  between $4000-6000 depending on the size of the breasts.  Some cases can be done in our fully accredited office OR where the OR/Anesthesia fees... more
Michael Vincent, MD

Rockville Plastic Surgeon
+1

Cost of Breast Reduction

Cost of breast reduction varies on number of hours that will take to perform your surgery.  For instance, a small reduction with lift will not take as long to perform than a very large reduction.  Cost of surgery usually include your plastic surgeon's fee as well as OR and anesthesia fee.  The price varies region to region as well as plastic surgeon to plastic surgeon.  For Houston, it can be $6500 to $10000.
Sugene Kim, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon
+1

Cost of Breast Reduction

Breast reduction procedures generally cost ~$7500 in my part of the country, including anesthesia charges. Please call several doctor's offices near you to get a better idea of what you would pay.
George Sanders, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast reduction costs in Plano and Flower Mound

We charge about $8500 for breast reduction. This includes the surgical fee, AAAASF-accredited facility, M.D. M.D. anesthesiologist, liposuction of the torso adjacent to the breasts, and all postoperative visits.
Ronald Friedman, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon
+1

BBR is worth the $$

Breast reduction surgery has one of the highest patient satisfaction rates in all of plastic surgery. It is a fantastic operation and patients love the cosmetic and functional benefit they receive from the procedure. As a surgeon, it is one of my favorite procedure to do because patients are so pleased and transformed from the procedure. The other docs observations about insurance companies failing their responsibility to their insureds by denying a BBR claim are accurate. My advice... more
Scott Sattler, MD

Bellevue Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast reduction costs

Often times, insurance companies will pay for breast reductions. Usually a letter from the doctor's office and corroborating documentation from other treating physicians usually help get it approved. In NY I would say that surgeon breat reduction fees are about $10-15,000 that does not include anesthesia or facility fees if paid out of pocket.
Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Cost of Breast Reduction

The cost of breast reduction surgery varies widely across the country and even in communities. It sounds like your surgery could be covered by your insurance unless there is a specifiic exclusion. Most insurance companies look at the estimate of breast tissue to be removed in relation to your height and weight as well as symptoms such as you have described. Don't hesitate to appeal the insurance company's initial denial. I have also had some success in getting state insurance commissions... more
John Whitt, MD

Louisville Plastic Surgeon
+1

Cost of a breast reduction is variable

Breast reduction, or reduction mammaplasty, may sometimes be covered by one's health insurance plan. Having said this, many plastic surgeons do not participate with insurance plans. Insurance companies require patients to meet certain guidelines to qualify for a breast reduction. They will require that the patient meets certain height and weight requirements and also require that a certain weight of breast tissue is removed from each breast prior to paying for any procedures. more
Sanjay Grover MD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+1

Cost varies by surgeon and geographic region.

Just as with any service, the cost of breast reduction varies depending on the surgeon performing the procedure and the geographic region. You can predict that a plastic surgeon in rural Idaho will likely charge less for a breast reduction than a plastic surgeon in Manhattan with more sizeable overhead. Insurance companies in the US have very strict criteria for coverage of breast reduction. In addition to symptoms of neck pain, back pain, rashes underneath the breasts, and shoulder... more
James C. Grotting, MD

Birmingham Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast reduction costs a little less than $10,000

Breast reduction surgery is usually covered by insurance, but the insurance companies constantly change the rules regarding the conditions under which it is covered. These cases vary a great deal but will probably run you around $10,000 (when you pay cash) by the time you add all the costs into the equation.
John P. Di Saia, MD

Orange Plastic Surgeon
+1

Do not waste your time

Insurance companies are adopting very strict criteria to cover for a breast reduction. Even when all criteria are met, they still might not pay it!! A pre-authorization will also not help because they come back and claim it is a cosmetic procedure. My advice is to try to check with them on the proper documentation required, if you feel they will not help you, do not waste your time and plan for the surgery as a cash payment. It is more painful to think they will cover and get the bills... more
Hisham Seify, MD, PhD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast reduction increasingly not covered by insurance

I am sorry to hear the insurance benefits that you have do not cover breast reduction surgery. In the Chicago area where I practice this has been a trend for some time now. Despite the proven benefits of less back strain and postural backache and improved ability to exercise most of the PPO plans in our area will no longer provide coverage for this very beneficial procedure. Even Blue Cross plans in Illinois send our patients a list of 15 criteria they must meet in order to qualify. They... more
Peter E. Johnson, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast reduction fees are going to vary

Hi there- As with anything else, surgical fees and costs are going to vary depending on where you live, the details of the the procedure in question, and the experience and reputation of the surgeon. I think the most important thing to emphasize to you is the importance of finding a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon that you like and feel comfortable with, and who you believe can do a good job for you (ask how often they do breast reduction). Once you have found someone you feel can help you,... more
Armando Soto, MD

Orlando Plastic Surgeon

www.DrArmandoSoto.com

+1

Breast reduction costs $8000-12,000 for the total package

Breast Reduction surgery is very commonly not covered by insurance. They have totally unrealistic expectations for removal of tissue. Because of this fact, most offices have created a package price for non-covered reductions. The common prices for surgery, anesthesia and facility range from $8000-12,000. The package includes all post op visits. Seek our a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in your area thru Plasticsurgery.org. There are many qualified doctors in your area.
David A. Dreyfuss, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1

It depends on many factors...

The fee you will be quoted will depend on many factors including the state/city, whether the procedure will be done in an office facility or an ambulatory surgery center, or a hospital, skill of the surgeon. You asked what a "great" plastic surgeon would charge, but I'm not sure how one could define "great." However, the American Society of Plastic Surgery does have some statistics to look at. In 2007, the average surgeon cost was $5400. On average, you would add another... more
Sirish Maddali, MD

Portland Plastic Surgeon
+1

Prices vary in different locations and doctors.

G.T. The cost of surgery varies in different locations and between doctors. However, you should expect to pay in the range of $6,000 to $12,000. Factors would include the surgeon fee, the hospital fee and the anesthesia fee. Please don't make your decision just on price. However, due to the current economy, the surgeon will likely work with you to make the surgery happen. Also, there are financing options available through companies like Care Credit to help spread out the payments. ... more
David Shafer, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast reduction cost

Even though your insurance may not cover it, it is still worth it to actively and persistantly pursue this avenue. Find out if this procedure is included in your plan. Some plastic surgeons offices have personnel dedicated to acting on your behalf with the insurance companies. Don't assume it will not be covered. If, in fact, it is not covered, the cost varies according the region and the physician. In New York City, it might cost around $12,000-$18,000. The top surgeons of course charge... more
Tracy Pfeifer, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

drpfeifer.com

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