The Cost of Circumcision

Question: How much does circumcision cost? I heard State Medicaid does not pay?

I have divided my answers into two parts,

the first is the medical cost of circumcision.

Medical Cost

That is true that Medicaid does not pay for circumcision anymore or at least in my area and I was told it is because Medicaid believes that it is cosmetic surgery and not a need. The prices will vary by location and medical practice. When I had my first son (2013), it cost $400 to do the circumcision at my pediatrician office and my in-laws paid for it.

Truthfully, I didn't shop around price wise, since I used the same pediatrician I did for my first child and my first son was my second child. I also didn't think to look up circumcision reviews to see if anyone had a botched circumcision by my chosen pediatrician either.

Personally after having it done and watching my son go through that, if I could do it all over again I would save that $400 for something else and not have my son circumcised. I still regret the decision to have it done.

The reason we got it done so quick (2 weeks old since my hospital doesn't do it after birth) and I felt rushed to make a decision was because the pediatrician office said if my baby got any bigger (over 10 pounds) we'd have to go get it done by a urologist office and that would cost more than the $400, because the urologist is a specialist.

I had my second son (2016) and Medicaid still did not pay for circumcision at this point, and I saved my money and left him intact.

The second part is the emotional cost some moms feel post circumcision.

I put this disclaimer here because the purpose is not to shame or scare,

but simply to share my experience.

You may read or skip this additional information.

Emotional Cost

When my first son was circumcised I was on the fence about circumcision, (although my husband was for it at the time) because I had honestly never considered that it's something you don't have to do. I just assumed if you have a boy that's what you do.

Although I would consider that the circumcision was done correctly, for me personally, I would have liked more time to research if it was true about the weight limit or what the procedure was and how it looked like, because I was not really prepared for the 5-10 mins procedure (to see my baby strapped down, the sterile tools being open, and wondering if my baby was in pain even though he wasn't crying and how well the numbing injections were working since he can't speak.I heard some conflicting information on if they feel pain or not. To be clear, I was by my baby's side. I did not go into another room and leave him). Nor postpartum care. The blood. The skin sometimes sticking together and the pediatrician pulling apart in those first few weeks.

I would have liked to research more than just the medical cost for the procedure. I also would have liked to know the emotional cost it was going to have on me and to know for some moms circumcision regret is a risk and a pain that stays with you, long after the procedure is over. I wish this had been discussed because it can't be reversed once you do it. My oldest son is 4 and while the pain has subsided in large part to not having my second son circumcised, the guilt still lingers. But I can take comfort in the fact that once you know better, you do better.

Conclusions

That being said, I have experienced both sides, been in both places situations personally, and I have 2 healthy boys.

Last Edited: September 11, 2017