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Breast Augmentation Costs & Financing

Breast augmentation model

The total cost of Breast Augmentation usually ranges from $5,000 to $7,000. The cost can vary depending on the surgeon, the location and the specifics of your surgery. As a cosmetic procedure, breast augmentation is usually not covered by health insurance. You should be provided with complete information on costs and financing options at your consultation with a plastic surgeon.

Breast augmentation is a cosmetic surgery procedure, and therefore it is usually not covered by health insurance. The costs may vary depending on factors such as your surgeon's experience level and office location.

Typical Costs

The total cost for breast augmentation usually ranges from $5,000 to $7,000. This total includes the surgeon's fee, the cost of the breast implants and other costs such as anesthesia, lab work, surgical supplies, prescription medications and facility charges. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), the average surgeon's fee in 2015 for breast augmentation was $3,497 for saline breast implants and $3,964 for silicone gel breast implants.

The cost for breast augmentation can vary considerably depending on:

  • The plastic surgeon's skills, training and experience. Visit our Researching Your Plastic Surgeon section to learn about the importance of board certification and how you can verify the doctor's qualifications.
  • The plastic surgeon's location. Costs may vary among geographic regions and are usually higher in more densely populated areas, where overhead is higher and the services of plastic surgeons in greater demand.
  • Specific details of the surgery. The type of breast implants, incision type, implant placement site, type of anesthesia used and other details can affect the total cost of the procedure.
  • Additional costs may apply if you develop a complication from the surgery.

Health Insurance Coverage

As it is considered to be a cosmetic procedure, the cost of breast augmentation surgery is usually not covered by health insurance. Most insurance carriers also exclude costs for treating any complications that result from the surgery.

Surgery using breast implants may be covered if they are used to reconstruct a breast after a mastectomy, to correct a breast deformity or for other medical reasons. Other breast surgeries, such as a breast reduction performed to alleviate a medical problem, may also be covered by insurance.

To determine what your health insurance will cover, review your subscriber information materials and contact your insurance company with any questions you have about your coverage.

Consultation and Financing Options

You should be given complete information on the costs of your procedure at the initial consultation with your plastic surgeon. At this meeting, you will discuss costs and financing options in addition to many other aspects of breast augmentation surgery.

Many plastic surgeons partner with finance companies that offer a variety of options for financing cosmetic surgery. You can also contact companies that specialize in medical financing, or banks or other institutions that offer general purpose loans.

Find out in advance if the doctor charges for a consultation. Prices can vary from free to about $500, and some doctors refund the consultation fee if surgery is scheduled.

If you decide to proceed with surgery, you will sign an informed consent document to acknowledge that you have been informed about the risks and are responsible for the cost of treating any complications that arise.