How Much Does Gynecomastia Surgery Cost?
Key takeaways:
Gynecomastia surgery can range from about $5,000 to more than $10,000 without insurance. This amount may or may not include what your surgeon charges, anesthesia, and facility fees. The price may increase if a larger amount of breast tissue needs to be removed, you combine the surgery with liposuction, or you have an upper body lift.
Gynecomastia is enlarged or overdeveloped breast tissue in males. Gynecomastia surgery removes this excess breast tissue. Typically, health insurance covers the procedure for moderate-to-severe cases of gynecomastia. You will need to meet eligibility requirements to have a male breast reduction surgery covered.
You may be able to make gynecomastia surgery more affordable through price shopping, asking for good faith estimates, and looking into payment plans. You can save on your prescription medication costs by using GoodRx coupons.
Table of contents
Some men and boys have a condition that causes enlarged or overdeveloped breast tissue, which is called gynecomastia. This condition can be harmless. Though, in some cases, it’s caused by factors such as hormonal changes or certain medications and can increase the risk of breast cancer in men. For some people, gynecomastia reduces their self esteem or quality of life.
One treatment for gynecomastia is male breast reduction surgery — also called “gyno surgery” or mastectomy for gynecomastia. This type of mastectomy also can be performed for chest masculinization, or top surgery, for the purpose of gender affirmation.
Without insurance, gynecomastia surgery can be costly. But, typically, health insurance plans will cover the surgery for moderate-to-severe cases. Here are the costs you can expect with gynecomastia surgery.
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What is the average cost of gynecomastia surgery?
The average cost of gynecomastia surgery ranges from about $5,000 to more than $10,000. According to an American Society of Plastic Surgeons survey, the average physician’s fee for a male breast reduction procedure was $4,822 in 2022 among its members. This figure did not include anesthesia, facility fees, and other expenses related to gynecomastia surgery.
Your total expenses can add up to well over $10,000, according to MDsave, a price-shopping tool for uninsured people and those who have high-deductible health plans. MDsave reports a regional average for the procedure of about $6,000.
Later, we will discuss how the cost can increase if your procedure involves removing a large amount of breast tissue, is combined with liposuction, or includes an upper body lift.
What is not included in the surgeon’s fee?
As mentioned, a gynecomastia procedure comes with costs beyond what your surgeon charges. You may or may not have to pay additional amounts for medical expenses such as:
Anesthesia fees
Consultation before surgery
Operating and recovery room services and supplies
Post-surgery compression garments
Post-surgery follow-up visits
Prescription medications
Tissue testing
Your procedure may also come with costs that aren’t as apparent, such as time off from work and travel expenses.
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What can you expect to pay out of pocket for gynecomastia surgery?
Without insurance, you are typically responsible for all gynecomastia surgery costs. The expertise of the surgeon, the techniques required, and where you have the surgery can influence what you pay.
Here are sample prices (at the time of publication) for the procedure across the U.S. These prices generally include the surgeon’s fee, facility fees, and anesthesia. Though the cost structure and total price tag of your procedure may be different.
City or region | Gynecomastia surgery prices |
Chicago | |
Dallas | $7,500-$15,000 with an average range of $10,000-$14,000 |
Linwood, New Jersey (suburbs of Atlantic City) | |
Jacksonville, Florida | |
Philadelphia | $8,600-$9,200 for a typical reduction and $12,300-$14,700 for severe gynecomastia (plus a $150 hospital fee) |
Seattle | |
Tampa, Florida |
It’s important to note that gynecomastia surgery is typically an outpatient procedure. Services at ambulatory surgery centers are generally less costly than hospital outpatient departments.
Severity increases cost
Another major factor in the cost of gynecomastia surgery is the severity of the case. For example, one Los Angeles surgeon who specializes in male breast reductions charges based on the classification or severity of the condition or the addition of an upper body lift. Here are how those costs compare as published on his practice’s website.
Gynecomastia type/severity | Average price range |
Type 1: Puffy nipples | $7,750-$8,500 |
Type 2: Rounded chest | $8,500-$10,000 |
Type 3: Slight breast roll/skin excess | $9,000-$12,000 |
Type 4: Moderate breast roll/skin excess | $12,000-$13,500 |
Type 5: Significant breast roll/skin excess | $15,000-$16,500 |
Type 6: Upper body lift/front and back | $16,000-$18,000 |
Is there any way I can reduce the cost of gynecomastia surgery?
You can make your procedure more affordable by shopping around for gynecomastia surgery prices. And, if you have insurance, make sure your healthcare professionals and facilities are in your plan’s network to reduce out-of-pocket costs.
In addition to saving for the surgery, you may be able to get the cost of the procedure to better fit your budget by looking at financing options or requesting a payment plan. You also can save on medications related to the procedure with GoodRx coupons.
Whether you have insurance or not
Price estimation tools from hospitals and health insurance plans can help you calculate costs for a gynecomastia surgery in advance. Two recent developments that you should know about are:
Hospital price transparency: Since 2021, hospitals have been required to publish standard charges for services that can be scheduled.
Health plan price transparency: Since 2022, health insurance plans have been required to publish price information on certain covered treatments, services, and medications on their websites.
You can also see costs for certain outpatient services through Medicare’s procedure price lookup tool. For a mastectomy for gynecomastia covered by Medicare Part B, the average original Medicare enrollee can expect to have out-of-pocket costs of about $375 at an ambulatory surgery center and about $808 at a hospital outpatient department. Those figures may not include physician fees for all doctors involved in the procedure, however.
If you have a Medigap plan, your out-of-pocket costs could be even less because your supplemental insurance may cover your Part B deductible, as well as all or some of your Part B coinsurance.
If you’re uninsured or plan to self-pay
If you’re self-pay or don’t have insurance, you can request a good faith estimate (GFE) of your expected charges and fees for gynecomastia surgery. You can ask for a GFE from facilities such as:
Hospitals
Some surgical centers
Lab centers
Imaging centers
Federally qualified health centers
Rural health centers
If the final bill for any service provided is $400 or more above the GFE, contact the healthcare facility that issued the bill. Ask if they can update the bill to match the GFE, or try to negotiate a lower price. You also should ask if you're eligible for any financial assistance programs.
How can you get gynecomastia surgery covered by insurance?
If you have insurance, your plan will likely have eligibility requirements for covered gynecomastia surgery. Usually, surgery for cosmetic reasons is not covered.
For instance, under this Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Care Network of Michigan medical policy, gynecomastia surgery is covered if the insured person has glandular breast tissue that is confirmed to be at least 2 cm by a physical exam and/or radiographic imaging (such as an X-ray). The case must also qualify as one of the following:
Pubertal or adolescent gynecomastia that has lasted more than 2 years in a person who has reached full puberty
Non-adolescent gynecomastia because of irreversible causes
Are there alternatives to gynecomastia surgery?
Yes, depending on the case, starting or stopping treatment with certain medications can resolve the condition. Also, liposuction can treat gynecomastia without surgery.
Is gynecomastia surgery worth it?
Gynecomastia surgery is worth it for people who regain a positive self-image and improved quality of life. Unlike many procedures, the effects are immediately visible, but it may take up to 6 months to see the full results.
The bottom line
Gynecomastia surgery is one treatment for excess breast tissue in males. Depending on your surgeon, the severity of your condition, and where you live, the cost can range from about $5,000 to more than $10,000 without insurance. You may need to meet certain eligibility requirements to have male breast reduction surgery covered by insurance, which can greatly reduce the costs.
Price shopping, getting good faith estimates, and requesting a payment plan can also make the surgery more affordable. And keep in mind that you can save on prescription medications by using GoodRx coupons.
Why trust our experts?
References
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