The cost of plastic surgery is something most patients consider when planning their aesthetic enhancement, and sometimes when choosing a plastic surgeon. In Birmingham, AL, prices can vary widely, but it’s important not to bargain shop when selecting the surgeon who will perform your surgery. Understanding how a plastic surgery practice sets the prices of surgical procedures can help patients when making their decisions.
What Are the 3 Basic Fees Patients Pay?
When breaking down the cost of breast augmentation, a tummy tuck, eyelid surgery, or any other cosmetic surgical procedure, your price will include 3 basic fees. Those include:
- Surgeon’s fee
- Anesthesia fee
- Facility fee
Asking about these fees during your consultation is appropriate and should be expected by the practice manager or whoever discusses costs with patients after they meet with the surgeon.
Surgeon’s Fee
The surgeon’s fee varies depending on the plastic surgeon’s training, experience, reputation, and other factors. If you’re considering a specific surgeon, it’s important to check if he or she is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), which is the only plastic surgery board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties. ABPS certification requires years of rigorous training that focuses exclusively on plastic surgery for the face and body.
Anesthesia Fee
It’s important that you know this fee because patients sometimes overlook asking about it. You won’t know the total, “out the door” cost of your procedure without knowing the fee being paid for an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist. Having a board-certified anesthesiologist is a safety precaution that will increase the fee, which varies depending on the nature of the procedure and what type of anesthetic is used (local or general, for example.)
Facility Fee
This fee is less straightforward than the surgeon and anesthesiologist fees. In addition to the cost of using the surgical facility where the surgeon performs the operation, the fee typically includes the cost of nursing care and medical materials and drugs needed during the surgery.
This fee, however, doesn’t include the cost of breast implants for breast augmentation patients or implants used for facial plastic surgery. There are other costs that may depend on the type of surgery performed, such as special compression garments for body contouring patients and prescription medications.
What Other Factors Influence the Cost of Plastic Surgery?
Some factors that influence cost are less tangible than the 3 basic fees paid by patients. For example, the geographic location of a practice affects the cost. Cosmetic plastic surgery in Birmingham, Alabama, for example, won’t cost the same as what’s charged by a plastic surgery practice in Miami, Florida. The demand for a specific surgeon’s services also may be factored into the cost.
Making Your Choice
Even though most plastic surgery patients are limited to some degree by their budgets, it’s important to not base your choice of surgeon exclusively on cost. There’s truth to the old adage that “you get what you pay for,” and saving some money initially may be costly later if you need revision surgery.
We also offer a range of financing options for qualified patients to help make cosmetic surgery accessible to more women and men in Alabama.
Schedule a Consultation
If you’d like to discuss a plastic surgery procedure you’re considering, contact us using the online form to request a consultation or call us at (205) 933-9308 to schedule an appointment.
Leave a Reply