A self-pay panniculectomy averages $6,656 in CareCredit’s 2026 study, and arm and thigh lifts average $7,197 and $9,072. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons puts the surgeon’s fee alone at $6,000 to $10,500 for an arm lift and $7,000 to $12,000 for a thigh lift (2024 data), before anesthesia and the operating room. A panniculectomy is the skin removal operation that Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Anthem and BCBS of South Carolina all cover when their criteria are met; arm and thigh lifts are covered only by some, and only for a functional problem.
- Panniculectomy, average
- $6,656CareCredit, 2026 study
- Arm lift, surgeon fee only
- $6,000 to $10,500ASPS, 2024 data
- Thigh lift, surgeon fee only
- $7,000 to $12,000ASPS, 2024 data
- Wait after bariatric surgery
- 12 to 18 monthsinsurer and Medicare policies, 2026
National prices by procedure
| Procedure | ASPS surgeon fee, 2024 | CareCredit average | RealSelf patient average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panniculectomy | Not published | $6,656 (2026 study); $7,000 (2024 study) | $10,185 (range $3,000 to $50,000) |
| Arm lift | $6,000 to $10,500 (2023 average $6,192) | $7,197 | $10,331 |
| Thigh lift | $7,000 to $12,000 (2023 average $7,641) | $9,072 | $12,587 |
| Lower body lift | $10,000 to $16,500 (2023 average $11,397) | $18,235 | $23,618 |
ASPS fees leave out anesthesia, operating room facilities and other expenses. CareCredit’s pages do not say whether they include them. RealSelf’s are what patients say they paid, and its panniculectomy page notes that the price depends partly on whether insurance covers a portion. The Aesthetic Society’s 2022 Databank lists “excision of excess skin” at $4,838, and the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery gives $11,000 to $30,000 for skin removal after weight loss, which may be done in stages.
What practices charge
- Panniculectomy. Few practices publish a self-pay fee. Dr. Paul Pin in Dallas lists $12,000 to $14,000 with the facility, anesthesia and an overnight stay when needed; Florida Bariatric and Plastic Surgery in Fort Lauderdale lists $6,000 to $15,000 as a flat rate covering surgeon, facility and anesthesia.
- Arm lift. Most fees fall between $8,000 and $11,000: Pittsburgh Plastic Surgery $8,500 with the operating room and anesthesia; Allure Esthetic, Seattle, $8,995; Rockmore Plastic Surgery, Latham, $9,000 to $11,000; Chicago Breast & Body Aesthetics $10,995; Weiler Plastic Surgery, Baton Rouge, $11,350 out-the-door. Dr. Brad Gandolfi’s $8,900 in New York is a surgeon fee only. With liposuction, Virginia Institute of Plastic Surgery charges $10,000 to $14,000.
- Thigh lift. Mostly $8,600 to $12,000: Dr. Paul Pin $8,600; Pittsburgh $9,000; Specialists in Plastic Surgery, Raleigh, $11,500; Weiler $11,650. Colorado Plastic Surgery Center charges $13,000 to $28,000 including liposuction.
- Body lift. University of Utah Health lists a belt lipectomy at $15,959; Rockmore a circumferential lift at $18,000 to $22,000; Lyle Plastic Surgery, Raleigh, a lower body lift at $19,000 to $24,000 all-in; Affordable Plastic Surgery, Spring Valley NY, $26,400.
Cosmetic or covered: where insurers draw the line
A panniculectomy removes the hanging apron of skin and fat, without the muscle tightening or new belly button of a tummy tuck (UnitedHealthcare MP.014.28). Insurers cover it; they treat a tummy tuck as cosmetic. The usual conditions:
- the fold hangs at or below the pubic bone, shown in photographs;
- a rash, infection or ulcer under it has not cleared after at least 3 months of treatment;
- weight has been stable, for 3 to 6 months depending on the insurer;
- Cigna and BCBS of South Carolina also require a documented functional problem.
| Policy | Timing after bariatric surgery |
|---|---|
| Aetna CPB 0211 | 12 months after the weight plateau |
| Cigna 0027 | 18 months, with weight stable for 6 months |
| Anthem CG-SURG-99 | 18 months, or 3 months of stable weight |
| BCBS of SC CAM 108 | 18 months, or 3 months of stable weight |
| Medicare, Palmetto GBA L33428 | At least 18 months, with weight stable for the last 3 to 6 months |
None covers a panniculectomy for back pain or appearance, or added to a hernia repair or hysterectomy without meeting the criteria on its own. BCBS of SC adds that if the bariatric operation itself was excluded by the contract, the panniculectomy is excluded too. UnitedHealthcare uses InterQual criteria, which are not public.
Arm, thigh and buttock lifts are cosmetic at Aetna (CPB 0031). Cigna 0470 covers them with a functional problem, 3 months of skin infection that has not cleared, 6 months of stable weight and 18 months after bariatric surgery; weight lost on GLP-1 drugs counts only if it has held steady. Anthem ANC.00009 covers them for a significant functional impairment. UnitedHealthcare reviews them case by case. The full criteria are on what insurance covers.
Medicare and SC Medicaid
- Medicare. In South Carolina the rule is Palmetto GBA’s LCD L33428. It covers a panniculectomy when the fold hangs below the pubis and causes intertrigo that persists over 3 months of treatment, and not when the aim is mainly to repair abdominal wall laxity or diastasis recti. A hospital outpatient panniculectomy has needed prior authorization since July 1, 2020; standard decisions are due within 7 calendar days. Once approved, Medicare.gov says you should owe only the usual deductible and coinsurance.
- SC Medicaid. The SCDHHS manual (October 1, 2026) covers a medically necessary panniculectomy with prior authorization under InterQual criteria. Absolute Total Care requires the fold to limit daily activities and a complication that has resisted 3 months of therapy.
When to plan surgery after weight loss
BCBS of SC’s policy quotes the ASPS practice parameter: body contouring after massive weight loss is ideally done after 2 to 6 months of stable weight, often 12 to 18 months after bariatric surgery. That is close to the insurers’ 12- to 18-month rules above. A board-certified plastic surgeon who has examined you decides the timing.
Skin removal surgery cost in South Carolina
- Averages. CareCredit’s 2024 study gives South Carolina averages of $6,059 for a panniculectomy, $6,227 for an arm lift and $8,089 for a thigh lift.
- Charleston. Port City Plastic Surgery, Daniel Island: arm lift $5,000 to $6,000, thigh lift $5,000 to $6,000, trunk lift $5,500 to $7,500, on a list that likely leaves out anesthesia and the operating room.
- Columbia and Rock Hill. Virtu Cosmetic Surgery gives one range, $8,250 to $10,750, for arm, thigh, lower body and bra-line lifts.
- No South Carolina practice publishes a panniculectomy fee.
Hospital price-transparency files show single parts of the bill:
| Hospital, file date | Line | Price | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington Medical Center, West Columbia, April 1, 2026 | Panniculectomy, 120 minutes | $4,123 | Facility charge; surgeon and anesthesia billed apart |
| Lexington Medical Center | Arm lift; thigh lift | $3,420; $3,597 | Facility charge |
| Beaufort Memorial, January 1, 2026 | Panniculectomy (CPT 15830) | $4,279 cash | Outpatient facility charge |
| Conway Medical Center, May 20, 2026 | Panniculectomy | $2,273 | Clinic line, likely not the operating room |
| AnMed Health, Anderson, March 6, 2026 | Arm lift; thigh lift; circumferential abdominoplasty | $6,800; $7,500; $10,000 | Self-pay surgeon fee; no such cases in the prior year |
What insurers pay hospitals for a panniculectomy facility charge varies widely: $4,280 to $22,528 across 13 plans at Lexington, $4,649 to $19,513 at Spartanburg Medical Center and $2,338 to $6,793 at MUSC in Charleston.
Frequently asked questions
How much does skin removal surgery cost?
CareCredit’s 2026 averages are $6,656 for a panniculectomy, $7,197 for an arm lift, $9,072 for a thigh lift and $18,235 for a lower body lift. RealSelf patients report more: $10,185, $10,331, $12,587 and $23,618.
Does insurance cover a panniculectomy?
Usually, if the fold hangs below the pubic bone, causes skin infection that has resisted 3 months of treatment, and your weight is stable. A tummy tuck is not covered.
Is an arm lift or thigh lift covered by insurance?
Aetna treats both as cosmetic. Cigna and Anthem cover them for a documented functional impairment that meets their criteria.
How long after bariatric surgery can I have skin removed?
Insurer and Medicare policies ask for 12 to 18 months after surgery, or after the weight plateau, with a stable weight.
What is the difference between a panniculectomy and a tummy tuck?
A panniculectomy removes the hanging fold of skin and fat; a tummy tuck can also tighten the muscles and reposition the belly button. Insurers can cover the first and treat the second as cosmetic.
Sources
- ASPS: 2024 statistics report, 2023 statistics report, arm lift cost, thigh lift cost, body lift cost
- The Aesthetic Society, 2022 Databank; American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, skin removal after weight loss
- CareCredit: cost table, panniculectomy, arm lift, thigh lift
- Insurers: Aetna CPB 0211, CPB 0031; Cigna 0027, 0470; UnitedHealthcare MP.014.28, MP.007.33; Anthem CG-SURG-99, ANC.00009; BCBS of SC CAM 108
- Medicare: LCD L33428, Medicare.gov, CMS outpatient prior authorization
- SC Medicaid: SCDHHS manual, Absolute Total Care CP.MP.109
- RealSelf, panniculectomy, arm lift, thigh lift and body lift pages (2022 and 2023), cited as text
- Practices, cited as text: Dr. Paul Pin; Florida Bariatric and Plastic Surgery; Pittsburgh Plastic Surgery; Allure Esthetic; Rockmore Plastic Surgery; Chicago Breast & Body Aesthetics; Weiler Plastic Surgery; Dr. Brad Gandolfi; Virginia Institute of Plastic Surgery; Specialists in Plastic Surgery; Colorado Plastic Surgery Center; University of Utah Health; Lyle Plastic Surgery; Affordable Plastic Surgery (Spring Valley)
- South Carolina, cited as text: Port City Plastic Surgery; Virtu Cosmetic Surgery; price-transparency files of Lexington Medical Center, Beaufort Memorial Hospital, Conway Medical Center, AnMed Health, Spartanburg Medical Center and MUSC Medical Center
Figures retrieved October 2, 2026. Insurer policies are reviewed at least yearly and are not contracts; your plan document governs, and a written quote from a surgeon who has examined you governs the price. Body Sculpting Masters is a publication, not a practice.
