According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, weight loss surgery costs between $20,000 to $25,000 on average. While the debate rages on about the long term cost-saving health benefits of weight loss surgery, insurance companies are continuing to make the approval process difficult for a majority of patients seeking the surgery.

Medicare, for example will not cover any weight loss surgery for obese patients, unless they have one of the specific health related problems, even if a doctor has officially diagnosed the patient as being obese.