Best Lap Band Removal Surgeons Near Westminster Colorado: 4 That Take Self-Pay Patients

Getting a Lap-Band removed shouldn't feel like a guessing game. One Denver-area practice posts a $5,400 self-pay price for removal, while a large hospital-based center lists $1,786.20 for band removal and says that figure is only a portion of the cost. No wonder the numbers are confusing.

This guide covers four bariatric programs within about 25 miles of Westminster that list band removal or revision surgery and take self-pay patients. For each one, it sets out what the program itself publishes about its price, its surgeons and its accreditation, so you can check the details with the program directly.

Use this guide to compare real totals, ask sharper questions, and walk into your consult prepared.

Information here is for education, not personal medical advice.

Here is a side-by-side view of distance, price clarity and core credentials, so you can spot gaps before reading about each program.

*Driving distance estimated with OpenStreetMap routing, without traffic.

†BMCC says its prices are designed to be inclusive, including 3 months of aftercare.

Key takeaways

• BMCC is the only program on this list that posts a full self-pay price for removal.

• HCA's figure covers only part of the bill; the center says hospital, anesthesia and surgical assistant fees add to the total.

• For CommonSpirit and UCHealth, ask for a written good faith estimate that puts the surgeon, facility and anesthesia on one sheet.

1. Joshua Long, MD: the clear price

The Bariatric & Metabolic Center of Colorado (BMCC) in Greenwood Village posts a self-pay price for Lap-Band removal: $5,400. Its LAP-BAND removal cost page explains what that figure is designed to cover: pre- and post-operative care (including 3 months of aftercare), bariatric education, the surgery, anesthesia and the hospital stay. BMCC says it works hard to avoid extra fees, and that the price you see is its cash price.

Bariatric & Metabolic Center of Colorado Lap-Band removal cost page

The office is about 23 miles from Westminster City Hall, the longest drive of the four programs here.

Why his credentials matter

Dr. Long is a double board-certified bariatric surgeon (MD, MBA, FACS, FASMBS) and the bariatric medical director for Parker Adventist Hospital. BMCC says he has performed well over 2,000 surgeries. BMCC also performs band removal combined with a sleeve, bypass or loop duodenal switch if you decide to replace the band instead of only removing it. BMCC does not offer new Lap-Band placements.

Before you book

• Ask what could change the price in your case, such as band erosion or a hernia repair found during surgery.

• BMCC accepts most Colorado and national insurance plans and Medicare, has a waitlist for Medicaid patients, and offers payment plans.

If you want a single posted price from a surgeon with strong credentials, Dr. Long sets the local benchmark for price clarity.

2. Jonathan Schoen, MD: the close-to-home specialist

For Westminster residents, this is the closest option. CommonSpirit Bariatrics St. Anthony North is at 500 W 144th Ave in Westminster, about 10 miles from City Hall, and CommonSpirit describes it as an MBSAQIP-accredited center.

CommonSpirit Bariatrics St. Anthony North practice page

Credentials you can check

• Certified by the American Board of Surgery

• Fellowship in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery at the University of Colorado

• More than 20 years of experience; his listed procedures include the Lap-Band, sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, SADI-S, BPD and revisions of prior bariatric surgery

• Named one of Denver's Top Doctors for 2025 in surgery by 5280 Magazine, according to his profile

What's missing? A public price.

There is no posted removal price, so ask for a written good faith estimate that combines:

1. Surgeon fee

2. Facility charge

3. Anesthesia

The practice website has a "Get an Estimate" link you can start with. Bring BMCC's $5,400 figure to the consult so you have a point of comparison.

Bottom line: if fewer freeway miles matter and you want a surgeon who lists revision experience, Dr. Schoen is worth a consult. Get the full written quote before you decide.

3. John Weaver, MD: the robotic and reflux route

Scar tissue can make Lap-Band removal more complex. Dr. John Weaver's HCA HealthONE profile lists laparoscopic and robotic approaches, including da Vinci robotic surgery, among his focus areas at the Denver Center for Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery.

HCA HealthONE Denver Center for Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery price transparency page

Credentials that match the tech

• Board-certified in general surgery and bariatric surgery, and fellowship-trained

• FACS and FASMBS designations

• Special interest in acid reflux treatment, including the LINX procedure, which matters because reflux is a common reason people have a band removed

The headline number: read the fine print

The center's price-transparency page lists $1,786.20 for CPT 43774, gastric band removal, as a self-pay price. The same page says these figures are not the full cost of a surgery but a portion of it, and that hospital, anesthetic and surgical assistant fees add to the total. Ask for one good faith estimate that combines every line item. 

Financing and timeline

HCA's Self-Pay and FastTrack options let patients pay for surgery over a set period, and the center says patients can have surgery in as little as 4 to 6 weeks from the first step. That can help if speed or structured payments matter.

Dr. Weaver's office is in Denver, about 15 miles from Westminster City Hall. His profile asks self-pay patients to call.

Choose Dr. Weaver if robotic experience, a reflux focus and payment options matter more than a posted all-in price, but get that full estimate before you commit.

4. UCHealth Surgical Weight Loss Center: the academic option

UCHealth does not post a public Lap-Band removal price, but it offers a large academic program at the Anschutz Outpatient Pavilion in Aurora, about 18 miles from Westminster City Hall. UCHealth says the center is designated an MBSAQIP Comprehensive Center with Adolescent and Obesity Medicine Qualifications. Its listed procedures include gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, BPD and gastric banding.

UCHealth Surgical Weight Loss Center at the Anschutz Outpatient Pavilion

What to expect on pricing

You may need three separate estimates:

1. Surgeon

2. Hospital facility

3. Anesthesia

Ask UCHealth to combine them into one good faith estimate so there are no surprises after surgery day.

Why consider UCHealth

• The center lists fellowship-trained, board-certified bariatric surgeons, dedicated nurse practitioners and dietitians, and a program psychologist.

• UCHealth says Anthem, Cigna, Optum (United) and Aetna recognize the center as a center of excellence, which may matter if you later use insurance for a revision.

• Note: UCHealth requires a nutrition class and a psychological evaluation before approval for weight loss surgery, so ask early whether those steps apply to a removal-only case.

Choose UCHealth if you want the support of an academic center and don't mind extra homework to pin down the final price.

Short answer: Of the four programs here, only BMCC posts a complete self-pay price for removing a Lap-Band: $5,400. Its revision packages cost more: $13,750 for a sleeve, $20,150 for a bypass and $21,560 for a loop duodenal switch. Everyone else asks you to call for a quote.

Removal only: the posted prices

•  $5,400 at BMCC, designed to cover care before and after surgery (including 3 months of aftercare), the surgery, anesthesia and the hospital stay.

• $1,786.20 at HCA's Denver Center for CPT 43774, which the center says is only a portion of the cost; hospital, anesthesia and surgical assistant fees are extra.

No other program here posts a removal-only number, so ask for a good faith estimate that combines the surgeon, facility and anesthesia before you compare totals.

Removal + sleeve

BMCC's one-stage band-to-sleeve price is $13,750. That is about $8,350 more than removal alone. A sleeve is a longer and more complex operation than removal alone, so expect the price to rise everywhere.

Removal + gastric bypass

BMCC's band-to-bypass price is $20,150, about $14,750 more than removal alone and about $6,400 more than the sleeve option. If reflux is your main problem, ask your surgeon whether a bypass is the better fit for you.

Removal + duodenal switch

BMCC's band-to-loop duodenal switch price is $21,560, about $16,160 more than removal alone. A duodenal switch keeps a sleeve-shaped stomach and bypasses more of the small intestine than a standard bypass, so it calls for close, lifelong vitamin and lab follow-up. Ask your surgeon whether it fits your weight and health goals.

How to compare quotes

1. Ask for one good faith estimate covering the surgeon, facility and anesthesia.

2. Confirm whether the number assumes going home the same day or an overnight stay.

3. If a revision is possible, ask the office to separate removal costs from conversion costs; that helps if insurance later approves the revision.

Remember, a lower sticker price means little until you know what it includes.

Standard laparoscopic removal: the usual approach

BMCC says band removal and revision surgery are performed in a minimally invasive setting. In a laparoscopic operation, the surgeon works through small incisions with a camera and long instruments instead of opening the abdomen.

Whether you go home the same day depends on your case. Dense scar tissue, band erosion or a hernia found during surgery can make the operation longer and may mean an overnight stay and a higher facility bill.

Questions to ask at your consult

• How many laparoscopic band removals did you perform in the past 12 months?

• What share of those patients stayed overnight?

• What could turn my case into an inpatient stay?

• If you find erosion, how will you handle it?

These answers tell you what "routine" means for your body and your budget.

When removal may be covered

Coverage depends on your plan and on why the band needs to come out. Ask your surgeon's office to check your benefits and to send office notes, imaging and a record of your symptoms with any prior-authorization request.

• Medicare: BMCC says Medicare covers Lap-Band removal when there are medically confirmed complications from the original band surgery.

• Medicaid: BMCC says Medicare and Medicaid also cover band revision surgery when the original requirements are met, and it notes a waitlist for Medicaid patients.

• Commercial large-group plans: Under Colorado's SB25-048, beginning January 1, 2027, large-group health plans in Colorado must cover the treatment of obesity, including bariatric surgery. Individual and small-group plans are not part of that requirement, so check which kind of plan you have.

If you are paying cash

Under federal rules, if you are not using insurance, your provider usually must give you a good faith estimate of expected charges when you ask, or when you schedule at least 3 business days ahead. Get one before you compare prices.

Quick financing tips

• Ask whether the clinic offers payment plans; BMCC and HCA both say they do.

• Check whether HSA or FSA funds can be used for the surgery.

• If you finance, read the interest rate and any fees carefully.

The ranking weighs four things: whether the program posts a self-pay price and says what it covers, the surgeon's credentials and accreditation as listed by the program, experience with band removal and revisions, and convenience from Westminster. Price clarity counts most, because it is the hardest thing to find.

That gives this order: Long, Schoen, Weaver, UCHealth. The ranking is a comparison tool, not medical advice, but it shows which programs post real numbers and which ask you to call.

Good surgeons welcome informed patients. Save this list to your phone and check off each answer before you leave the office.

Outcomes and technique

1. Annual volume: How many Lap-Band removals did you perform in the past 12 months, and how many involved a conversion?

2. Same-day discharge: What share of removal-only patients went home the same day?

3. Operating time: How long does an uncomplicated removal usually take?

4. Safety: What are your readmission and reoperation rates after band removal?

5. Erosion plan: If you find erosion, will you repair it during the same operation or plan a second one?

Timing and staging

6. Conversion gap: If I choose removal only now, how long should I wait before a sleeve or bypass?

Price transparency

7. One-sheet quote: Can you give me a written good faith estimate that combines the surgeon, facility and anesthesia charges?

8. Overrun triggers: What could make the final bill higher than that estimate, and by roughly how much?

Support and follow-up

9. After-hours help: Who answers if I develop pain or fever at night?

10. Included visits: How many dietitian and surgeon visits are included in my price?

Getting these answers turns a nervous first meeting into a clear plan.

Be careful if you see any of these warning signs:

Unclear pricing

• A very low number with no facility or anesthesia breakdown

• Staff who avoid questions about how extra costs are billed

Credential or experience gaps

• A surgeon who won't say how many band removals they did last year

• No active Colorado license in the state's license lookup

Too-good promises

• "Zero complications" or "you'll definitely go home the same day"

• A coordinator who claims the 2027 Colorado coverage law already makes every plan pay now

Poor support or pressure tactics

• No dietitian or after-hours contact once you go home

• Reviews that mention surprise bills, and staff who wave them away

• Limited-time discounts, requests to sign before you read the estimate, or threats that you'll lose your slot

See one? Slow down. See two or more? Consider another provider.

Lap-Band removal prices and programs vary widely across the Denver area. Use the posted prices, surgeon credentials and good faith estimates covered here to compare programs on equal terms, avoid surprise bills, and choose the team that fits your medical needs and budget.