TLC's hit series "My 600 Pound Life" features morbidly obese patients as they navigate the
difficult and dangerous process of extreme weight loss with the help of pioneering bariatric surgeon
Dr. Now. Surgeries that carry this much risk are often difficult for low-income
patients to obtain on their own, since the high costs and medical insurance approvals
can be challenging to navigate. Luckily for these patients, the surgeries are covered by the show.
Contestants who appear on the show are also eligible for cash compensation.
According to TVOvermind, contestants receive $1,500 just for showing up, along with a
$2,500 payout that enables them to relocate closer to Dr. Now's office in Houston, Texas.
"It's been maybe 7 years since I've gone anywhere in a vehicle that wasn't an ambulance."
These payments may not seem like they add up to much,
but the overall value offered is a once-in-a-lifetime deal.
Multiple studies reveal that morbidly obese people typically pay 42% more for medical care
and 77% more for drugs than people of a healthy weight, according to Dr. Arif Ahmad MD.
Many small business insurance plans won't even cover bariatric surgery, so those without this
support can foot a bill of up to $20,000-$30,000, according to the National Institute of Diabetes
and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. A gastric bypass surgery commonly costs around $23,000.
This means that savings for show participants can total in the tens of thousands — and
potentially even higher, when you consider the associated costs beyond bariatric surgery.
Beyond bariatric surgery, patients still need to treat additional medical issues that may be
ongoing. For example, some patients can experience complications, like internal
bleeding or infections, which increase the overall medical cost of hospital stays,
according to UPMC. More serious complications like hernias, dilation of the esophagus,
or obstruction of the stomach and bowels can even require additional surgeries.
As Consumer Health Ratings points out, the average cost of a hospital stay
is $13,300 when adjusted for inflation in 2021. While that number refers to the average person,
the patients on "My 600 Pound Life" are anything but average. Pressure ulcers are a
common complaint among obese patients, and can average more than $26,000 per hospital stay.
Extreme complications such as septicemia can cost $25,800.
If a patient experiences these complications outside of the show's 1-year filming window, they
may be liable for significant amounts, even with insurance. There's also the cost of out-patient
therapy, as many who appear on the show need both physical and mental support. According to Thervo,
physical therapy sessions cost around $125 each before insurance, and mental health therapists may
charge as much as $250 an hour, with most sessions costing between $60-$125. While "My 600 Pound
Life" offers great value in support for extreme weight loss, it can't manage to cover everything.
Most patients who experience a change in shape as significant as the contestants on "My 600 Pound
Life" will have extra skin that likely warrants eventual removal. Since this is considered a
cosmetic procedure, TVOvermind notes that it's not covered in the appearance contract. The American
Society of Plastic Surgeons lists average fees for three common procedures for skin removal.
A thigh lift costs $4,863, a tummy tuck costs $5,798, and an upper arm lift costs $4,257.
The costs can definitely add up, especially when taking into account the fact that weight
loss surgery likely means a whole new wardrobe. As Financial Diet reported,
one standard-level dieter did the math on the cost of upgrading her wardrobe
after losing only 40 pounds of weight, and she ended up needing to spend over $600.
And participants on "My 600 Pound Life" will lose much more than just 40 pounds.
"So you lost over 450 pounds?"
"Yes sir."
"Almost twice as much as you weighed now."
"That’s right."
"Can you imagine that?"
"No, it's been crazy."
Even with the support from the show, these costs can be prohibitive — but they may help prevent
expensive medical issues down the road and avoid hefty prescription costs. So ideally that would
help save money in the long term. If patients on the show do their research and budget carefully,
with some luck they can end up losing weight with minimal monetary loss.
"Ta da."
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