Skip to Main Content

Cost of bilateral breast lump removal

The average cash price for bilateral breast lump removal care is $3,056 at a surgery center versus $5,444 at an outpatient hospital. While a surgery center may offer fewer complimentary services, and may not have the full range of support services that outpatient hospital provides, it may still be worth the (44%) you'd save when comparing the cost of bilateral breast lump removal performed at an outpatient hospital. Read More

Average cash price in U.S.

A common bilateral breast lump removal at surgery center facility in U.S. includes

  Units Avg Cash price

Provider

General surgeon visit provider fee

First time visit Standard
1 $125

Provider fee to remove breast growth

First lesion Standard
1 $572

Provider fee to remove breast growth

Each additional lesion Standard
1 $212

Facility

Surgery center fee to remove breast growth

Standard Standard
1 $1,399

Imaging

Radiology fee for x-ray of breast or mammogram of both breasts

Standard Standard
1 $206

Prescriptions

HYDROCODONE-ACETAMINOPHEN

Standard Standard
30 $16

Anesthesia

Anesthesiologist fee to be "put under" for procedure

Level 2 Standard
1 $134

Anesthesiologist time to be "put under" for procedure

Per minute Standard
196 $392
Total average cash price   $3,056.30

A common bilateral breast lump removal at outpatient hospital facility in U.S. includes

  Units Avg Cash price

Provider

General surgeon visit provider fee

First time visit Standard
1 $125

Provider fee to remove breast growth

First lesion Standard
1 $572

Provider fee to remove breast growth

Each additional lesion Standard
1 $212

Facility

Outpatient Hospital fee to remove breast growth

level 1 Standard
1 $3,787

Imaging

Radiology fee for x-ray of breast or mammogram of both breasts

Standard Standard
1 $206

Prescriptions

HYDROCODONE-ACETAMINOPHEN

Standard Standard
30 $16

Anesthesia

Anesthesiologist fee to be "put under" for procedure

Level 2 Standard
1 $134

Anesthesiologist time to be "put under" for procedure

Per minute Standard
196 $392
Total average cash price   $5,444.30

A breast lumpectomy is a surgical procedure that removes a portion of tissue from the breast. A lumpectomy may be performed to remove cancer or other abnormal tissue from the breast. Sometimes lumpectomy is used to diagnose breast cancer. The tissue that is removed is analyzed to determine if it contains any cancer cells. This may be referred to as an excisional biopsy. Bilateral means both sides. During a bilateral breast lumpectomy, lump removal tissue will be taken from each breast. 

During lumpectomy, only a portion of tissue is removed, unlike a mastectomy, where the entire breast is removed. Surgeons may refer to this as “breast-conserving surgery” or wide local excision. A lumpectomy is often an option in early-stage breast cancers. It allows you to maintain the appearance of your breast. Often radiation will be needed to treat breast cancer removed by lumpectomy.

Lumpectomy is a commonly performed surgery; however, it is still classified as major surgery. The surgery is performed under general anesthesia. This means you will be completely asleep during the procedure. Lumpectomy is usually performed as an outpatient procedure. This means after a short stay in the recovery area after the procedure; you’ll be released to recover at home. You will need someone to drive you home the day of your procedure.

It is normal to feel some pain and numbness around the surgical incision after a breast lumpectomy. Your surgeon will prescribe pain medication to help keep you comfortable while you recover. Some individuals can manage with over-the-counter pain relievers alone, while others may need stronger medication.

The breast lumpectomy surgery will last from 15-40 minutes. You’ll spend about another hour in the recovery area after your surgery before being released home. If the lump is very small, you may need a mammogram or ultrasound before surgery to help mark the lump’s location. 

Sometimes a lymph node or sentinel node biopsy is performed at the same time as the lumpectomy. During a lymph node biopsy, your surgeon will remove one to two lymph nodes from the armpit area. These lymph nodes will be tested to see if cancer has spread outside the breast tissue. Before a sentinel node biospy, you’ll have a small amount of radioactive substance, or blue dye injected to help the surgeon locate the lymph nodes to be removed.

Full recovery from breast lumpectomy will take about a month. If you’ve had a lumpectomy without a lymph node biopsy, you’ll most likely be able to return to work in two to three days and begin more vigorous physical activity after a week of rest. For those with lymph node biopsy in addition to lumpectomy, you’ll need to take about a week off from work.

Breast lumpectomy is most often performed as an outpatient procedure. You’ll be able to return home to recover the same day as your surgery.

Not all breast lumps require removal. Some lumps are classified as benign. This means they are not cancerous. Your healthcare provider may recommend frequent monitoring to make sure lumps are not changing. Causes of lumps that are benign and do not cause breast cancer include:

  • Breast cysts
  • Fibrocystic breast disease
  • Fibroadenoma
  • Calcifications
  • Central intraductal papilloma
  • Papillary apocrine change

While being told you need a breast lump removed is very scary, many lumps are benign or completely removed with a lumpectomy. Discuss any concerning breast findings with your healthcare provider, who will recommend the best treatment option for you.

About the bilateral breast lump removal Average Cash Prices

This procedure is most commonly performed at either a surgery center or an outpatient hospital.

Surgery centers, also known as ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), are independent, licensed medical facilities that are governed by distinct regulatory requirements compared with a hospital. Procedures performed at an ASCs are often less expensive than when they are performed at an outpatient hospital, but they typically offer fewer complimentary services, and may not have the full-range of support services that a hospital provides.

Outpatient facilities are outpatient departments or clinics that may be within or next to a hospital, but is owned and run by the affiliated hospital. These facilities can perform surgical treatments and procedures that do not require an overnight stay. Procedures performed at an outpatient hospital are often more expensive than when they are performed in an ambulatory surgery center, but outpatient hospitals may offer more complimentary and support services for patients because they are connected to the hospital system.

* Savings estimate based on a study of more than 1 billion claims comparing self-pay (or cash pay) prices of a frequency-weighted market basket of procedures to insurer-negotiated rates for the same. Claims were collected between July 2017 and July 2019. R.Lawrence Van Horn, Arthur Laffer, Robert L.Metcalf. 2019. The Transformative Potential for Price Transparency in Healthcare: Benefits for Consumers and Providers. Health Management Policy and Innovation, Volume 4, Issue 3.

Sidecar Health offers and administers a variety of plans including ACA compliant and excepted benefit plans. Coverage and plan options may vary or may not be available in all states.

Your actual costs may be higher or lower than these cost estimates. Check with your provider and health plan details to confirm the costs that you may be charged for a service or procedure.You are responsible for costs that are not covered and for getting any pre-authorizations or referrals required by your health plan. Neither payments nor benefits are guaranteed. Provider data, including price data, provided in part by Turquoise Health.

The site is not a substitute for medical or healthcare advice and does not serve as a recommendation for a particular provider or type of medical or healthcare.