How much does surgery cost in the USA?
Asked by: Elizabeth Weber | Last update: December 22, 2025Score: 4.6/5 (17 votes)
How much does a 3 day stay in the hospital cost?
It's easy to underestimate how much medical care can cost: Fixing a broken leg can cost up to $7,500. The average cost of a 3-day hospital stay is around $30,000.
What is the most expensive surgery in the USA?
Heart Transplant: The Costliest Procedure
The complexity of the surgery, the need for donor matching, and the lifelong post-transplant care contribute to the high cost. The average cost of a heart transplant in the United States is approximately $1.3 million.
How much does top surgery cost in the USA?
Top surgery is estimated to cost between $14,000 and $17,000 for cash-pay patients. The total price varies due to several factors such as doctors' fees, facility fees, additional tests/imaging, prescription medications, or post-op related care.
How expensive is bottom surgery?
On average, the cost of male-to-female, or MTF, bottom surgery in the United States ranges from $20,000 to $300,000. Typically, when talking to a surgeon, they will quote you their surgical fee only.
The real reason American health care is so expensive
What is the legal age to get top surgery?
Gender affirmation surgery for confirmed gender dysphoria may be considered medically necessary when all of the following criteria are met: A. The individual is age 18 or older (the legal age of majority in the United States of America); see Policy Guidelines for possible exceptions.
What is the cheapest surgery?
Cataract surgery is the least expensive on our list with an average cost of about $3,441. In this procedure, a cloudy eye lens is removed and typically replaced with an artificial lens. With either having cataracts or having had surgery to correct it, it is one of the most common and regularly performed surgery.
Do surgeons get paid per surgery?
Straight Salary: you get a fixed annual pay whether you do 200 cases per year or 50. RVU - relative value unit: each surgery is assigned a certain RVU value by hospital finance and simple cases may have 4–5 RVUs and complex procedures can go up to 50 RVUs and the surgeon gets paid a dollar amount for every RVU.
What happens if you can't afford surgery in the US?
Hospital charity care may be available based on your income and savings. In fact, according to Fox, some hospitals are required by state law to provide free or reduced services to low-income patients. As soon as your bills arrive, let your providers know if medical problems have affected your income and ability to pay.
Which surgery pays the most?
Neurosurgery
A neurosurgeon is the highest-paid doctor on our list. Neurosurgery encompasses surgery of the brain, spinal cord/column, and peripheral nerves.
What is the #1 surgery in the nation?
An appendectomy is the most common surgery in the US when it comes to general surgery.
Can I get surgery without insurance?
Paying for surgery out-of-pocket, commonly known as self-paying, can be incredibly expensive. However, it may be worth considering, especially if you can negotiate reduced costs. You can also look into payment plans, cost-sharing programs, and government or charitable assistance.
How much does 1 week in ICU cost?
Mean intensive care unit cost and length of stay were 31,574 +/- 42,570 dollars and 14.4 days +/- 15.8 for patients requiring mechanical ventilation and 12,931 +/- 20,569 dollars and 8.5 days +/- 10.5 for those not requiring mechanical ventilation.
How much is a hospital bill without insurance?
The average per-day hospital cost in the U.S. is $2,883, with California ($4,181) the most expensive, and Mississippi ($1,305) the least. The average hospital stay is 4.6 days, at an average cost of $13,262. If surgery is involved, hospital costs soar through the roof.
Who pays for hospital bed at home?
After Medicare approves the home hospital bed and you have paid the yearly deductible, you pay 20% of the cost of the bed. Medicare will pay the other 80%. Here are other factors to keep in mind: You may be able to rent or buy the bed, depending on your needs.
What is the average ICU charges per day?
An ICU is used for treating life-threatening cases, so it is equipped with hi-tech life-saving facilities. In India, the average ICU charges in a private hospital can range between INR 15,000 and INR 30,000 per day.
Which surgery is most expensive?
- Bowel-to-bowel fusion.
- Craniotomy.
- Tracheostomy.
- Spinal Fusion.
- Exploratory chest surgery.
- Aortic valve replacement.
- Small bowel transplant.
- Intestine transplant.
How to get surgery you can t afford?
- Payment plans. If you need help paying for surgery without insurance. ...
- Temporary disability. ...
- Government programs that help pay for surgery. ...
- Turn to online fundraising for medical expenses.
What is the least paying surgeon?
The report found that orthopedic specialists were the highest paid specialty on average last year, with average annual earnings of $558,000, followed by plastic surgery at $536,000. Meanwhile, the lowest paid specialty last year was diabetes and endocrinology, with average annual earnings of $256,000.
How painful is top surgery?
Pain. You may experience some discomfort for a few days after surgery, but generally after four to five days your pain will ease and can be managed with over-the-counter acetaminophen and ibuprofen.
Does insurance cover top surgery?
Most health insurances that are based in California cover gender affirming surgeries as part of their Transgender Health Benefits. Each insurance plan's coverage varies, so contact your health insurance directly to see what surgeries are covered as well as requirements for surgery.
Can you feel your nipples after top surgery?
The degree of sensation after surgery is usually similar to the sensation of the upper chest before surgery. Thus , sensation is still present, but is diminished from the sensation in the nipples that is usually present before surgery.