What is the cost of a gastric band?
A lump-sum amount cannot be given with regard to the cost of a gastric band. From the shares for the necessary inpatient hospital stay, the actual operation as well as the necessary check-ups, an amount usually lies between about 5,000 and 10,000 Euros. The costs can vary greatly depending on the clinic.
If there are additional complications such as a wound healing disorder, the costs can also increase significantly. A prerequisite for the assumption of costs for the insertion of a gastric band by the health insurance company in Germany is that there is a medical necessity for the intervention. This must be documented by a physician and is bound to certain criteria.
The patient must be extremely overweight (body mass index over 35-40) and there must be serious accompanying symptoms. These include, for example, joint diseases or diabetes mellitus (“diabetes”). In addition, all conservative treatment methods such as a change in diet and exercise programs must be exhausted, since an intervention such as the insertion of a gastric band is a last resort when all other weight loss measures have failed.
Among other things, it is required that at least one medically controlled weight loss trial has already been performed. Another prerequisite for the health insurance company to cover the costs is that the patient is fully informed about the procedure and its consequences and is motivated to take this step. In order for the costs to be covered, an application must be made to the health insurance company, as this is not a standard service. However, if the above-mentioned conditions are met, the costs are often covered after a usually lengthy procedure.
What does the preparation for surgery look like?
Essential aspects of the preparation for surgery are, on the one hand, the examination of whether there is a justified indication to perform the procedure. In addition, the patient must be informed in a way that is understandable to him or her and given sufficient time to give or withhold consent. Another important aspect in the preparation of the operation is the examination of the patient. A blood sample is routinely taken, for example, and an ECG is taken to assess heart function.Depending on the patient’s previous illnesses and age, further examinations such as a determination of lung function and an X-ray examination of the chest may be necessary. Permanent medication of the patient must be checked by a physician and may have to be changed or paused for the operation (such as tablets for diabetes).
