Skip to Main Content

Cost of excess breast tissue removal surgery in District Of Columbia

The average cash price for excess breast tissue removal surgery care in District Of Columbia is $2,789 at a surgery center versus $5,359 at an outpatient hospital. While an outpatient hospital may offer more complimentary and support services for patients, it costs almost twice as much (48%) when comparing excess breast tissue removal surgery procedures performed at a surgery center. Read More

Average cash price in District Of Columbia

A common excess breast tissue removal surgery at surgery center facility in District Of Columbia includes

  Units Avg Cash price

Provider

General surgeon visit provider fee

First time visit Standard
1 $135

Provider fee to remove extra breast tissue

Standard Standard
1 $591

Facility

Surgery center fee to remove extra breast tissue

Standard Standard
1 $1,506

Prescriptions

HYDROCODONE-ACETAMINOPHEN

Standard Standard
30 $17

Anesthesia

Anesthesiologist fee to be "put under" for procedure

Level 2 Standard
1 $145

Anesthesiologist time to be "put under" for procedure

Per minute Standard
184 $396
Total average cash price   $2,788.76

A common excess breast tissue removal surgery at outpatient hospital facility in District Of Columbia includes

  Units Avg Cash price

Provider

General surgeon visit provider fee

First time visit Standard
1 $135

Provider fee to remove extra breast tissue

Standard Standard
1 $591

Facility

Outpatient Hospital fee to remove extra breast tissue

level 1 Standard
1 $4,076

Prescriptions

HYDROCODONE-ACETAMINOPHEN

Standard Standard
30 $17

Anesthesia

Anesthesiologist fee to be "put under" for procedure

Level 2 Standard
1 $145

Anesthesiologist time to be "put under" for procedure

Per minute Standard
184 $396
Total average cash price   $5,358.72

Gynecomastia is the medical term for an abnormally large amount of undesirable breast and fat tissue over the chest in men. Surgery for gynecomastia involves removing this excess tissue through either liposuction, excision (cutting with a scalpel), or a combination of the two.

Gynecomastia surgery is used to remove excess fat and breast tissue that is covering the chest. Gynecomastia surgery is most commonly done in individuals that are at or near a normal body mass index (BMI). If you are overweight, surgeons will typically recommend weight loss first as it will help the surgeon remove all of the excess breast tissue that may otherwise be disguised within the fat.

The exact amount of time that gynecomastia surgery takes will vary based on the amount of breast and fat tissue that is present. On average, this surgery will take one to two hours.

Gynecomastia surgery is considered a relatively minor procedure; post-surgery pain is easily managed. The surgery itself is painless as you will be under general anesthesia (put to sleep) during the surgery. 

After surgery, it is common to have an aching and full sensation in the chest where the excess tissue was removed. There may also be some pain in the area of the incision with certain surgical techniques. This discomfort is typically mild and can be managed with over-the-counter pain medication such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Motrin).

After surgery, you will have to wear bandages over your incision and keep the area clean. In some cases, a small tube known as a drain may be placed to prevent excess blood or fluid from accumulating in the wound. This drain is removed at a follow-up visit several days after surgery.

For the first week after the surgery, excessive strain such as lifting over 15lbs, weightlifting, or heavy exercise should not be attempted. After the first week, the amount of time before you can resume normal activities will depend on the amount of tissue that was removed. Returning to full physical activity without limitations is typically possible within three to four weeks.

As with any surgery, there are risks and complications. Some of the most common are listed below. 

  • Bleeding around the area requiring further surgery to stop
  • Lack of symmetry between the two sides of the chest
  • Infection in the area of the wound leading to increased scarring
  • Changes in sensation in and around the nipple

Since gynecomastia surgery is performed on tissue that is close to the surface of the skin, these complications are both rare and easily managed by your surgeon. In a study of 107 patients that underwent surgery, only one patient had a complication that was resolved with repeat surgery.

Breast tissue that is removed does not regrow. In some cases, any tissue that is left behind may enlarge and lead to gynecomastia recurring. This is more common in patients with obesity, who are still in puberty, and who are on certain medications. Breast tissue typically will not enlarge enough to lead to a return of increased breast size in the majority of men.

Gynecomastia can result from some medical conditions such as liver failure, kidney failure, heart failure, obesity, and excessive alcohol intake. If these conditions are present, treating them, reducing alcohol intake, and reducing body weight can resolve gynecomastia. 

In otherwise healthy men without any of the conditions mentioned above, gynecomastia rarely resolves without surgery.

Gynecomastia surgery is often recommended for men who are past puberty (around 18 years old) and have a large amount of excess breast or fat tissue that affects their appearance. If you are otherwise healthy and are unhappy with the appearance of excess breast tissue, gynecomastia surgery may be an excellent option.

About the excess breast tissue removal surgery 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.