Self-Pay Bariatric Surgery in Northern Virginia
If your insurance does not cover weight loss surgery — or you would rather not wait out a long insurance approval process — self-pay is a clear, predictable path forward. You get one quoted price, a fixed set of requirements, and a schedule you control.
Dr. Fitzer offers both surgical and endoscopic weight loss options: gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, Lap-Band, and revision surgery, plus endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), transoral outlet reduction (TORe), and the Orbera gastric balloon. Everything is performed at INOVA Fair Oaks Hospital, a full-service hospital with the anesthesia, nursing, and post-procedure care that bariatric patients should expect. We publish our self-pay pricing openly because we think you deserve to know the number before you invest time in the process.
Self-Pay Pricing
Surgical prices cover a one-day hospital stay and include the physician fee, hospital facility fee, and an anesthesia estimate. Endoscopic procedures are performed at INOVA Fair Oaks Hospital as outpatient procedures — you go home the same day.
Surgical procedures — includes one hospital day
- Facility fee
- $14,000 (1 day)
- Anesthesia*
- $1,400*
- Physician fee
- $7,800
- Estimated total*
- $23,200*
- Facility fee
- $10,000 (1 day)
- Anesthesia*
- $1,400*
- Physician fee
- $7,800
- Estimated total*
- $19,200*
- Facility fee
- $10,000 (1 day)
- Anesthesia*
- $1,400*
- Physician fee
- $7,800
- Estimated total*
- $19,200*
- Facility fee
- $14,000 (1 day)
- Anesthesia*
- $1,400*
- Physician fee
- $10,000
- Estimated total*
- $25,400*
Endoscopic procedures — outpatient, same-day discharge
ESG (Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty)
- Facility fee
- $9,000*
- Anesthesia*
- $1,400*
- Physician fee
- $2,500
- Estimated total*
- $12,900
TORe (Transoral Outlet Reduction)
- Facility fee
- $8,000*
- Anesthesia*
- $1,400*
- Physician fee
- $2,500
- Estimated total*
- $11,900
- Facility fee
- $6,000*
- Anesthesia*
- $1,400*
- Physician fee
- $1,500
- Estimated total*
- $9,900
* Estimate. Anesthesia is billed by an independent anesthesia group, so that portion is an estimate rather than a fixed fee. Totals that include it are therefore also estimates.
Endoscopic procedures: ESG, TORe, and the Orbera balloon are performed through the mouth with no incisions and no overnight stay. Call (703) 709-9771 for current self-pay pricing on these procedures.
Additional hospital days: Each additional day at INOVA Fair Oaks Hospital is $1,000 per day.
Prices shown are current self-pay rates and are subject to change. Call (703) 709-9771 to confirm your quote before scheduling.
Pricing last reviewed September 2026.
What Your Self-Pay Price Includes
The surgeon fee portion of your self-pay price covers more than the operation itself:
- The surgical procedure performed by Dr. Fitzer
- The 3 dietitian sessions required before the procedure
- Your pre-operative appointments with our surgical team
- Routine post-operative follow-up care with Dr. Fitzer for one year
The hospital and anesthesia portions cover your one-day stay at INOVA Fair Oaks Hospital, the operating room, and anesthesia services during surgery.
What Is Not Included
These are billed separately, so plan for them as you budget:
- Your initial consultation. But only if you decide not to proceed. In that case, we will bill your consult to insurance. Usually it is covered. If it is not covered for whatever reason, you will be charged $333.75. If you proceed with surgery, we will apply your consult fee payment to the surgery price.
- Psychological evaluation. Required before surgery. We can provide a referral list if you do not already have a provider.
- Medical clearance, labs, and EKG. These must be completed within 30 days of surgery and are typically billed to your insurance or your clearing physician.
- Additional testing. In some cases, your medical status calls for extra testing. Dr. Fitzer will tell you exactly what is and isn’t needed at your first meeting. If you need a test, the office will be happy to help you set it up.
- Additional hospital days beyond the one day included cost $1,000 per day.
- Treatment of complications, revisions, or unrelated procedures.
Note: if you begin the diet program and then decide not to proceed with surgery, each diet visit you completed will be billed at $85 per visit.
How Payment Works
The surgeon fee is paid to our practice in two equal installments:
- $3,900 due when you schedule your surgery date.
- $3,900 due at your final pre-operative appointment, three weeks before surgery.
Revision patients follow the same two-payment structure against the $10,000 revision surgeon fee. Hospital and anesthesia charges are billed separately by INOVA Fair Oaks Hospital and the anesthesia group — our office will give you their contact information so you can arrange payment directly with them. We accept cash, check, major credit cards, and HSA/FSA cards.
Financing and Payment Options
You do not have to pay for everything at once. Some patients use one of the following:
- Medical financing through Prosper® Healthcare Lending. Prosper® offers fixed monthly payment plans for bariatric surgery. You apply directly with the lender and are usually approved within minutes.
- HSA and FSA funds. Bariatric surgery is generally an eligible medical expense, so pre-tax health savings dollars can be applied to your surgery. Confirm details with your plan administrator.
- Personal loan or line of credit. Some patients find a better rate through their own bank or credit union than through a medical lender. It is worth comparing.
- Employer benefits. Some employers offer weight-management or surgical benefits that sit outside your standard health plan. Ask your HR department before assuming you have no coverage.
Self-Pay Requirements
Self-pay removes insurance paperwork, but it does not remove the medical requirements that make surgery safe. Before your surgery date you will need:
- A BMI of 30 or higher.
- Completion of the 3-day diet program, which is included in your self-pay price.
- A psychological evaluation. Ask us for our referral list if you need one.
- Medical clearance, lab work, and an EKG completed within 30 days of your surgery date.
- Any additional testing Dr. Fitzer requires based on your medical history. He will tell you at your consultation exactly what applies to you.
Because self-pay patients are not waiting on insurance authorization, most people move from consultation to surgery considerably faster than the insurance pathway allows. If you are comparing paths, see our qualifications guide and insurance coverage page.
Your Path to Surgery
- Book a consultation. Call (703) 709-9771 or request an appointment online.
- Go to your consultation. Dr. Fitzer will review your history, discuss which procedure fits you, and outline any additional testing you need.
- Get a written quote. Our office confirms your self-pay total and walks you through the payment schedule and financing options.
- Complete your requirements. Psychological evaluation, medical clearance, labs, EKG, and the 3-day diet program.
- Schedule surgery. Your first $3,900 payment is due at scheduling.
- Final pre-op appointment. Three weeks before surgery, we confirm everything is in place and collect the second $3,900 payment.
- Surgery day at INOVA Fair Oaks Hospital. Get excited! Also, plan for a one-day hospital stay.
- Follow-up care. For the first year, your routine post-operative visits with Dr. Fitzer are included in your self-pay price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why would anyone self-pay if they have insurance?
The waiting period is a common reason. Insurance-covered bariatric surgery frequently requires as much as twelve months of supervised diet visits.
The pre-authorization process is sometimes a slog. It’s usually straightforward, but occasionally an insurer will turn it into a true bureaucratic nightmare. They may require documentation that is simply impossible to get, or they deny prior authorization for an absurd reason. Sometimes the state insurance ombudsman can help. Many times, they can’t. Self-pay can get you out of those headaches.
Patients also choose self-pay because their plan excludes bariatric surgery entirely, or because their deductible and out-of-pocket maximum would cost nearly as much as the self-pay price. Some simply don’t want to wait.
Is the self-pay price really what I will pay?
Yes, or at least it should be quite close. The quoted total covers the surgeon fee, one hospital day, and an anesthesia estimate. Your consultation, psychological evaluation, medical clearance, labs, and EKG are billed separately. If you have insurance, it will usually cover those things. Additional hospital days are $1,000 each. We will go over every line with you before you commit. We work hard to make sure there are no surprises.
What happens if I need to stay in the hospital longer than one day?
Each additional day at INOVA Fair Oaks Hospital is $1,000, billed by the hospital. 90% of sleeve and bypass patients go home the day after surgery, but your recovery is individual and Dr. Fitzer will keep you as long as is medically appropriate. (Like Ernest and Julio Gallo, Dr. Fitzer will sell no wine before its time!)
I already had bariatric surgery elsewhere. Can I be a self-pay revision patient?
Of course. Dr. Fitzer is highly experienced with revision surgery. Revision surgery has a surgeon fee of $10,000 and an estimated total of $25,400.
What is the difference between the endoscopic procedures and surgery?
ESG, TORe, and the Orbera balloon are done entirely through the mouth with a flexible endoscope — no incisions, no cutting or stapling of the stomach from the outside, and no overnight stay. ESG reshapes the stomach with internal sutures. TORe tightens a stretched connection after a previous gastric bypass. Orbera places a temporary saline-filled balloon in the stomach, which is removed after about six months. They are generally lower-risk and faster to recover from than surgery, and are reversible or non-permanent in ways surgery is not. Dr. Fitzer will talk through which option fits your anatomy, your goals, and your history at your consultation.
I had a gastric bypass years ago and have regained weight. What are my options?
You may be a candidate for TORe, an endoscopic procedure that tightens the stretched outlet between the stomach pouch and the small intestine — a common reason weight comes back after bypass. Surgical revision is another option. Dr. Fitzer will want your original operative report and recent imaging or endoscopy results before recommending one over the other.
Do I need a BMI of 35 or 40 to qualify?
Not for self-pay. The self-pay requirement is a BMI of 30 or higher. Insurance carriers use BMI thresholds that are above the recommended ones. It is another reason patients with a BMI in the low 30s choose to self-pay.
What if I start the process and then change my mind?
Maybe something important came up. Maybe you simply had second thoughts. We get it. You are not locked in. If you complete diet visits and then decide not to proceed, those visits are billed at $85 each. Payments toward the surgeon fee are handled according to the office surgery cancelation policy.
What is your surgery cancellation policy?
Try to cancel as early as possible. If you cancel within fourteen days of the surgery date, there is a $500 fee. Prior to fourteen days, there is no cancelation fee.
Stuff comes up in life. You can count on us to be understanding about it. Just talk to us as soon as you know, and we will work it out together.
Is my consultation included in the self-pay price?
Yes, if you proceed with surgery. If you opt not to proceed, we bill your consultation to your insurance first. If it is not covered, the consultation is billed to you at $333.75.
Can I use my HSA or FSA?
Yes. Bariatric surgery is almost always a qualified medical expense. Check with your plan administrator and keep your receipts and any letter of medical necessity we provide.
I live outside Northern Virginia. Can I still come to you?
We see patients from all over the world. Tell our office where you are traveling from, and we will help you minimize the number of trips you need to make. Most post-operative follow-up can be done via telehealth. We can also coordinate with a provider who is local to you for routine visits.
How soon could I have surgery?
That depends mostly on how quickly you complete your clearances and the diet program. Self-pay patients do not wait on insurance authorization, so the timeline is generally driven by your own scheduling needs rather than a carrier’s chosen policy.
Request a Self-Pay Quote
Tell us how to reach you and which procedure you are considering. Our office will contact you to answer questions, confirm current pricing, and schedule a consultation with Dr. Fitzer.
171 Elden Street, Suite 3B, Herndon, VA 20170 · Surgery performed at INOVA Fair Oaks Hospital, Fairfax, Virginia
Medical disclaimer: The information on this page is general in nature and is not medical advice. Pricing shown is an estimate of self-pay charges and is subject to change; your final cost depends on the procedure performed, your length of stay, and services billed by third parties including the hospital and anesthesia group. Candidacy for bariatric surgery is determined individually by Dr. Fitzer.