Breast Surgery Costs

Does the health insurance cover the surgery?

Patients can apply for an advance payment from the health insurance company. Private health insurance companies allow patients free choice of doctor. This allows treatments in private clinics by a plastic surgeon. The process for cost coverage is as follows: The patient receives advice, then the responsible doctor documents their findings. The patient submits these findings to the health insurance company, which then reviews these findings and the associated images.

The health insurance company works with the Medical Service of the Health Insurance (MDK), which decides whether the costs are covered by the health insurance company or not. If a private health insurance company decides to cover the costs, then treatment in private clinics is also possible. If the patient is insured with a statutory health insurance company that has agreed to cover the costs, then the surgery can only be performed in a hospital or by a doctor with health insurance accreditation.

Costs at a glance

The costs for breast surgery vary greatly. For breast augmentation with silicone implants, you can expect to pay €6,500 upwards. However, existing asymmetries or congestion can increase the price. Breast reductions and augmentations start at approximately €7,500 to €8,500, but also vary depending on the technique used and the scope of the breast surgery.

Discuss the most suitable process for you in a personal consultation with our experts. After a detailed consultation, you will receive a treatment concept from us that is precisely tailored to your wishes and ideas – with a non-binding cost estimate.As a cost overview, you can note the following prices as reference points:

Due to the variety of treatments and different individual requirements, there are no one-time costs that are consistent for every type of breast surgery. The treating physician can only determine the effort involved after an in-depth consultation and examination, and after establishing the individual treatment protocol. Only then is it possible for them to prepare a cost estimate. However, you should review the following conditions before the start of the procedure to ensure that the costs are reputable and transparent:

Does the final price include:

• all preliminary services (initial consultation, advice, examination)
• the operation itself (surgeon's, anaesthetist's and operating team's fees, operating costs and equipment, necessary equipment, and aids)
• post-operative care (follow-up examination, clinic stay, equipment such as special bras).

Popularity creates room for dubious offers

Breast surgeries, especially breast augmentation, are among the most frequently performed procedures, as found by the German Society for Aesthetic-Plastic Surgery. Demand recently fell by 3.6%, after having increased by 20.6% in the previous five years. A breast surgery is not exactly cheap – it usually costs between 4,000 and 8,000 €. More precise figures are difficult to obtain, as many factors influence the total price.

Despite a slight downward trend, breast surgeries are still in demand. This leads many clinics to vaguely offer procedures at dumping prices. And not only abroad, but now even in Germany. But what are the savings and what impact do they have on patients?

With cheap providers, the costs for a breast surgery are usually half as high as in renowned clinics. However, if you opt for a cheap offer, you often run the risk of poor quality. This is because suppliers operating at dumping prices are geared towards mass outsourcing. To work more efficiently, breast augmentation is performed individually. Experienced surgeons quickly have three or four lucrative operations per day. In the long run, at this pace, one becomes inattentive, and the risk of error increases.

Also, doctors in Germany do not necessarily have to be trained in plastic surgery to perform plastic operations. The Federal Constitutional Court decided this in 2011. This means that anyone with a doctorate can try their hand at noses, droopy eyelids, or breasts. Complication rates also do not have to be disclosed.

How to find the right doctor?

Breast surgeries should be performed by a surgeon trained and experienced in breast surgery. In Germany, this can be a specialist in Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery, Gynaecology, or General Surgery. Ideally, the doctor in Germany should hold the title of specialist in plastic and aesthetic surgery. Furthermore, they must belong to a professional society such as the German Society for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (DGPRÄC) or the German Society for Plastic Surgery (DGÄPC).

Personal skills are also important: the experience, reputation, and seriousness of the clinic where the operation is performed. Anyone interested in breast surgery should consider that the term “plastic surgeon” is not legally protected in Germany, and should inform themselves in advance about the intervention plan.

In summary

For a breast surgery, there are various surgical techniques and methods that can be individually adapted to your wishes. The price cannot be given as a flat rate, but one should be suspicious of prices below 4,000 €. In addition, it is important to always research the qualifications of the practice and the treating doctor. Finally, before such a procedure, one should comprehensively inform oneself about all possible risks, any additional costs that may arise later, and the services included in the price.