How do I afford the price of cosmetic surgery?


Cosmetic surgery prices and fees can be quite confusing and may even seem overwhelming at times!  At Dr. Hirsch's Encino and Burbank plastic surgery offices, we will take the time to explain pricing and make sure that your payment plan fits your budget.  This page will help you understand how the cosmetic surgery, such asbreast augmentation, rhinoplasty, breast reduction, breast implant revision, etc., costs are structured.

How it all works

In general, insurance companies consider cosmetic surgery procedures to be "elective," and therefore do not cover the costs of the procedures.  For most cosmetic surgery procedures, there are 3 fees: the surgeon's fee, the anesthesia fee, and the facility fee.  Occasionally, if special implants are used, they may be a separate fee or can be considered part of the facility fee.  The surgeon's fee is usually discussed with the patient before, and is determined based on the procedure performed.  This fee typically covers performing the procedure as well as postoperative care during the recovery period.  The anesthesia fee is paid to the anesthesiologist, and covers the cost of putting the patient to sleep and waking them up, as well as keeping them safe during the surgery.  The facility fee is paid to the facility that owns the operating room, and covers the costs of nursing, supplies, disposables, and other expenses incurred by the facility for your procedure.  The anesthesia and facility fees are often determined by the length of the procedure; longer plastic surgery procedures may cost more than shorter procedures.  Surgeon's fees, anesthesia fees, and facility fees usually differ by region and may be more or less expensive depending on where you live.

Several organizations, including the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) publish average costs for common cosmetic procedures that are available to the public.  According to ASAPS, the average tummy tuck price in the US in 2012 for the surgeon's fee was around $5400, average breast augmentation price in the US in 2012 for the surgeon's fee was around $3600 (depending on implant type), average arm lift price in the US in 2012 for the surgeon's fee was around $3900, average eyelid lift price in the US in 2012 for the surgeon's fee was around $2700, average facelift price in the US in 2012 for the surgeon's fee was around $6700, and the average nose surgery price in the US in 2012 for the surgeon's fee was around $4400.  Again, these prices are for the surgeon's fees only and do not reflect facility fees or anesthesia fees.

Financing options

At Dr. Hirsch's offices, we offer financing options for patients who are interested through CareCredit.  To learn more about CareCredit, please ask Dr. Hirsch's staff at the time of your consultation or visit the CareCredit website at https://www.carecredit.com/