- A doctor’s appointment copay, perhaps a hospital admission charge of $100 or more, and coinsurance of 10% to 50% for the surgery are common out-of-pocket costs for patients with health insurance. When a doctor recommends a hysterectomy as medically necessary, it is usually covered by health insurance.
- A hysterectomy might cost anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 or more for those who do not have health insurance. A vaginal hysterectomy with or without removal of tubes and ovaries, for example, costs roughly $6,800-$13,400 at Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center in Lincoln, NE, without adding the doctor’s fee, which generally adds several thousand dollars to the cost. The cost of a laparoscopic vaginal hysterectomy, which includes the removal of the fallopian tubes and ovaries, ranges from $10,750 to $21,750. An abdominal hysterectomy at Wright Medical Center in Iowa costs around $15,500, including a $2,250 doctor fee. With an uninsured discount, Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children in Hawaii charges around $15,300-$17,800; but, if the surgery is for cancer, charges might rise to around$23,700 or more. A standard or laparoscopic vaginal hysterectomy with removal of tubes/ovaries costs over $17,500 at Baptist Memorial Health Care in Memphis, while a total abdominal hysterectomy costs around $19,200.
- There are three forms of hysterectomy: partial, which removes the upper portion of the uterus but leaves the cervix in place; total, which removes both the uterus and the cervix; and radical, which removes the uterus, cervix, tissue on both sides of the cervix, and the upper area of the vagina. The doctor may consider removing the ovaries and/or fallopian tubes as well, depending on the cause for the hysterectomy.
- Hysterectomies can be done in a variety of methods, including abdominally (where the doctor makes an incision in the belly) or vaginally (when the doctor removes the uterus through the vagina). They can be performed using regular surgical techniques or laparoscopically, which is a less intrusive option.
- A standard hysterectomy takes four to six weeks to recuperate from, but a minimally invasive hysterectomy, such one performed laparoscopically, takes three to four weeks.
- After a hysterectomy, regardless of age, the patient will enter menopause if the ovaries are removed. Hormone replacement medication, which can cost anywhere from $10 to $85 per month, is frequently prescribed.
- Many doctors and hospitals offer uninsured/cash-paying patients discounts of up to 40% or more. The Washington Hospital Healthcare System in California, for example, gives a 35% discount. Uninsured patients can get a 40% discount if they pay in full within 30 days, or a 30% discount if they pay in full within 90 days at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children.
- A board-certified gynecologist with substantial expertise performing hysterectomies should do the procedure. Make sure the doctor is certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology by using the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ doctor finder by state. Patients considering a certain type of hysterectomy, such as a laparoscopic hysterectomy, should inquire about the doctor’s experience with similar procedures.
- A board-certified gynecologic oncologist should do the operation if the hysterectomy is being performed owing to malignancy or if it is suspected that a woman having a hysterectomy may have cancer. A gynecologic oncologist finder is available from the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation. Gynecologic oncology is a specialization of obstetrics and gynecology that requires board certification as well as three to four years of extra training and certification after passing a difficult exam.
- Before deciding whether or not to have a hysterectomy, it is generally recommended that a woman seek a second opinion.
How do I qualify for a hysterectomy?
The uterus is removed through the vaginal canal rather than an abdominal incision in a vaginal hysterectomy. Your uterus must be a specified size and not too huge to be eligible for a vaginal hysterectomy.
During the procedure, you will most likely be asleep, and you will spend two nights in the hospital. You will be in major pain for 24 hours after the procedure and minor pain for 10 days. It normally takes four weeks to fully recover. There will be no scars on your skin.
How do you pay for a hysterectomy?
Payment arrangements are available from several surgeons and hospitals. When your operation is typically paid for by the patient rather than an insurance company, payment plans are most commonly available.
Because hysterectomy is almost always covered by insurance, surgeons who specialize in the procedure may not offer a payment plan; on the other hand, because plastic surgery is virtually never covered by insurance, the surgeon is more likely to be aware of self-pay options.
Payment plans are, in some situations, a legal agreement that you will make monthly payments to cover the costs of your surgery. In other circumstances, the payment plan is a loan, but the financial arrangements are handled by the hospital or surgeon.
Some hospitals may offer a payment plan for their services, however it is often a monthly pre-payment plan that is completed before operation.
How long is the waiting list for hysterectomy?
Waiting for surgery may be a stressful experience, and having a particularly long wait can make it even more so.
The Covid-19 outbreak put enormous strain on the NHS, and it has had a significant influence on treatment times, with reports earlier this year claiming that waiting lists for all NHS treatments had already reached their highest level since August 2007.
There were an estimated 5.45 million patients waiting for operations in August 2021, with roughly 300,000 of them waiting for more than a year. Now, new data shows that the number of people waiting for treatment in England has risen to 5.6 million, and the lengthy waits are prompting many people to explore private healthcare.
In light of this, we decided to investigate where in England people are waiting the longest for general surgery operations after a GP referral.
We looked at the most recent NHS England service reports for the most common in-patient surgery procedures at 52 of the country’s largest hospitals1 and discovered that 9 out of 10 patients are waiting up to 60 weeks for carpal tunnel release surgery, 33 weeks for gall bladder removal, 43 weeks for a hysterectomy, 58 weeks for hernia surgery, and 58 weeks for hip or knee replacement surgery.
According to data from the Royal College of Surgeons of England, approximately 120,000 hernia repair surgeries, 115,000 hip replacements, 81,000 knee replacements, 76,000 gall bladder removals, and 50,000 tonsillectomies are performed in England each year.
Patients in Leicester, Liverpool, London and Birmingham are facing the longest waits
Across the UK, Leicester General Hospital, with roughly 1,000 beds, has the longest possible wait – around 80 weeks for the most common procedures, however wait times for gall bladder removal (56 weeks) and hysterectomy (71 weeks) are now shorter. Even the most patient of patients would be concerned by these lengthy delays.
The average wait time for the nine main procedures examined at Leicester Royal is 74.5 weeks, with tonsillectomy patients in particular facing an 81-week wait.
The Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool came in third, with a projected wait time of 69.9 weeks for the surgeries we looked at. However, many people who are waiting for a hip or knee replacement, lumbar surgery, or carpal tunnel release can expect an 81-week wait.
For nine common surgery procedures, the England hospitals with the longest ‘up to’ waiting times following GP referral are*:
According to our research, Rotherham, Barnsley, and Preston’s Fulwood Hall Hospitals have the shortest waiting times for the nine procedures (30.9 weeks, 32.7 weeks, and 33.9 weeks, respectively), followed by Birmingham’s The Edgbaston (34 weeks), and the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital (34 weeks) (34.1 weeks).
Although data is not currently accessible on the NHS service website for all of the treatments we looked into, Bournemouth Hospital appears to have shorter-than-average waiting lists (23 weeks for gall bladder ectomy).
Waiting times vary by procedure, with back surgery delays the longest
The length of time it takes to complete each treatment varies greatly depending on where you are. Patients at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital, for example, may have to wait 82 weeks for hernia repair surgery but only 18 weeks at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Hospital.
This information illustrates the scope of the healthcare lottery across the country, but it also gives some patients hope that therapy may be available elsewhere if they are willing to do some study and travel.
Many people may find it helpful to know what the current average ‘up to’ waiting periods are so they may assess whether their wait is longer or less than expected.
For 9/10 patients (England average*), the current ‘up to’ surgical waiting periods from GP referral are:
Can you get a hysterectomy without a medical reason?
Hysterectomy, or the surgical removal of the uterus, is usually an optional procedure rather than a medical necessity. Hysterectomy, or the surgical removal of the uterus, is usually an optional procedure rather than a medical necessity.
What is average age for hysterectomy?
You won’t have periods if you haven’t previously gone through menopause, regardless of your age. A hysterectomy is performed on a large number of women. It’s more common in women between the ages of 40 and 50.
Does a hysterectomy cause weight gain?
Even in the absence of dietary or physical activity changes, it’s a common post-operative adverse effect. According to a study published in the Journal of Women’s Health, there is a higher risk of weight gain after a hysterectomy, especially in the first year.
How much is a hysterectomy for a dog?
A ovary-sparing spay is usually more expensive than a conventional spay. Depending on the size of the dog and the physician you see, prices might range from $750 to $5,000. Because not all veterinarians perform this procedure, finding one in your area may be difficult. Because the procedure appears to be gaining traction, more and more locations should implement it. Because it is commonly performed on gigantic breeds, it can be combined with a gastropexy (stomach tacking) to prevent gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV). Because both treatments can be done through the same incision, the expense of having both done may not be substantially higher.
How much does a hysterectomy hurt?
You must be patient and allow your body to heal if you undergo abdominal surgery. Complete recovery can take six to eight weeks. Avoid hard lifting for at least six weeks (meaning items over 20 pounds). Do not vacuum or do any other housework unless you’ve discussed it with your doctor. You must also refrain from sexual activity for a minimum of six weeks. Also, avoid putting anything into your vaginal area, including tampons.
A vaginal hysterectomy or a laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy can take as little as two weeks to recover from. In most cases, pain is mild. At the incision sites, you may have some achiness and discomfort (if the surgery was performed laparoscopically). For at least six weeks, most women will be advised to avoid heavy lifting and refrain from sex.
What makes a hysterectomy medically necessary?
When disorders affecting the uterine or reproductive system become life-threatening, high-risk, or unmanageable, a hysterectomy is considered medically necessary. Cancer of the uterus, ovaries, cervix, or fallopian tubes frequently necessitates a life-saving operation to remove them.