A nose job is billed as a rhinoplasty, and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons publishes an average cost of $7,637 for it. That figure is a surgeon's fee, and ASPS states in the same breath that it is only part of the total price and does not include anesthesia, operating room facilities or other related expenses. Rhinoplasty is also one of the few cosmetic operations where part of the work can be reconstructive rather than cosmetic, which changes who pays for it, so the shape of the bill matters more here than almost anywhere else.
Ask providers for a written price
The six lines ASPS names on a rhinoplasty bill
ASPS lists anesthesia fees, hospital or surgical facility costs, medical tests, post-surgery garments, prescriptions for medication and the surgeon's fee. Only the last is described by the $7,637 average. The anesthetist bills against the length of the case, and the facility bills separately, so whether the operation is done in an accredited office theatre, a surgery center or a hospital moves the total without moving the surgeon's line at all. A practice quote worth comparing states which of the six it already contains rather than leaving you to assume.
Revision work is a different market to a first operation
A rhinoplasty done to correct a previous rhinoplasty is harder than the original, because the tissue planes have been operated on and cartilage may need to be taken from elsewhere. ASPS names the type of procedure used as one of three drivers of the surgeon's fee, beside experience and geographic office location, and revision work is where that driver is felt most. A patient comparing a revision quote against a published national average is comparing two different operations, and the average will read low.
Part of the operation may not be cosmetic at all
ASPS states that when rhinoplasty is performed to improve breathing function, most commonly because of an obstructed airway, that procedure is considered reconstructive and may be covered by insurance, whether it is performed alone or together with cosmetic rhinoplasty. It adds that this requires a detailed examination to verify the cause of the breathing impairment and prior authorization from the insurer. So a combined operation can be part funded, and the question to raise at consultation is whether any of your surgery is functional. This record prices the operations; it does not tell anybody which one they need.
Other questions people ask
How much does a nose job cost in the US?
ASPS publishes an average surgeon fee of $7,637 for rhinoplasty. It excludes anesthesia, hospital or surgical facility costs, medical tests, post-surgery garments and prescriptions.
Is a nose job the same as a rhinoplasty?
Yes. Rhinoplasty is the clinical term, and it is the one published averages, practice price lists and insurer policies use, so it is the term to quote against.
Can insurance pay for any of it?
ASPS says rhinoplasty to improve breathing function is considered reconstructive and may be covered, even alongside cosmetic work, subject to a detailed examination and prior authorization from the insurer.
Why is revision rhinoplasty more expensive?
It is a more difficult operation on tissue that has already been operated on, and it may need cartilage taken from elsewhere. ASPS names the type of procedure used as one of three things that set the fee.