Gastric balloons are placed at outpatient endoscopy centers, hospital-based weight loss programs, and specialized bariatric clinics. You don’t need traditional surgery to get one. The procedure is performed by gastroenterologists or bariatric physicians who use an endoscope (a thin, flexible tube with a camera) to guide a deflated balloon through your mouth and into your stomach, where it’s then filled with saline. The whole process typically takes about 20 to 30 minutes, and you go home the same day.
Types of Facilities That Offer Gastric Balloons
The most common places to get a gastric balloon are hospital-affiliated weight loss programs and private bariatric or gastroenterology practices. Major academic medical centers like Johns Hopkins and Mayo Clinic run dedicated endoscopic weight loss programs specifically for non-surgical procedures like this one. Smaller private clinics with board-certified gastroenterologists or bariatric specialists also offer balloons, and they’re often easier to schedule with.
When choosing a facility, look for a multidisciplinary team rather than a single provider working alone. The best programs pair the physician who places the balloon with a nutritionist, an exercise therapist, and sometimes a behavioral health specialist. This matters because the balloon is a temporary tool, and the support team is what helps you keep weight off after it comes out. Facilities with the Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence designation from the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery meet specific volume and safety standards: surgeons must be board-certified with at least 125 lifetime bariatric cases, and the facility itself must perform at least 125 cases per year.
The Two Main Options: Endoscopic vs. Swallowable
Most gastric balloons in the U.S. are placed endoscopically. The ORBERA system is the most widely available FDA-approved option. A doctor threads the deflated balloon into your stomach using an endoscope, fills it with saline, and it stays in place for about six months before being removed the same way.
A newer alternative is the Allurion swallowable gastric balloon, which received FDA approval as a procedure-free option. Instead of endoscopy, you swallow a capsule containing a deflated balloon during a 15-minute office visit. No sedation, no scope. A physician fills it with fluid through a thin attached tube, and the balloon stays in your stomach for roughly 16 weeks. Then a built-in valve opens, the balloon deflates on its own, and it passes naturally through your digestive system. A second balloon can be placed eight weeks after the first one passes. This option is available at clinics that specifically carry the Allurion system, so you may need to search their provider directory separately.
Who Qualifies for a Gastric Balloon
Gastric balloons are designed for adults with obesity who haven’t been able to lose weight through diet and exercise alone. The swallowable Allurion balloon is indicated for adults aged 22 to 65. Most programs require a BMI of 30 to 40, which fills a gap for people who don’t qualify for bariatric surgery (typically reserved for BMI 35 or higher with related health conditions, or BMI 40 and above).
You won’t qualify if you’ve had previous stomach surgery, have large hiatal hernias, or have certain gastrointestinal conditions that make placing or tolerating the balloon unsafe. Your provider will review your medical history and may run bloodwork or imaging before clearing you.
What It Costs and Whether Insurance Covers It
Most gastric balloon programs in the U.S. are self-pay. Insurance companies, including many large private plans, generally don’t cover the procedure. Medicare explicitly does not cover gastric balloons, citing insufficient long-term safety and efficacy data.
Typical total package costs range from $6,000 to $9,000. That price usually bundles the initial consultation, pre-procedure testing, the placement itself, follow-up visits with your medical team and dietitian, and the endoscopic removal at six months. Some clinics offer financing plans or break the cost into monthly payments. If you’re comparing clinics, ask exactly what’s included in the quoted price, because unbundled programs can surprise you with separate charges for the removal or follow-up appointments.
What to Expect During the First Week
The adjustment period is rougher than many people anticipate. Nausea affects about 63% of patients, and vomiting occurs in roughly 55%, based on a meta-analysis of over 500 patients. These side effects are most intense during the first three to five days after placement as your stomach adapts to the balloon taking up space. The ORBERA system tends to produce the highest rates of nausea and vomiting compared to other balloon types. Most clinics prescribe anti-nausea medication to get you through this window, and symptoms typically ease significantly by the end of the first week.
Serious complications are uncommon but do occur. With the swallowable balloon, reported serious events have included small intestine obstruction, inflammation of the pancreas, and gastric outlet obstruction (where the balloon blocks the exit of the stomach). Your provider should walk you through warning signs to watch for during the weeks the balloon is in place.
The Support Program That Comes With It
A gastric balloon alone is not a complete weight loss solution. It works by taking up space in your stomach so you feel full sooner, but lasting results depend on the dietary and behavioral changes you make while the balloon is in place. Reputable programs build a structured coaching plan around the balloon, with dedicated follow-up from a gastroenterologist, nutritionist, and often an exercise therapist.
This support continues even after the balloon is removed. The goal is to use the four to six months with the balloon as a training period: you learn portion sizes, build exercise habits, and address eating patterns so that when the balloon comes out, you can maintain your progress. Programs that skip this component or offer minimal follow-up tend to produce worse long-term results, so the quality of the aftercare program should factor into where you choose to go.
How to Find a Provider Near You
Start by searching for “intragastric balloon” or “endoscopic weight loss program” along with your city. Hospital systems with bariatric programs typically list their non-surgical options on their websites. You can also search the ORBERA or Allurion provider locators directly to find certified clinics in your area.
Before booking, confirm a few things: that the physician is board-certified in gastroenterology or bariatric medicine, that the program includes nutritional counseling and follow-up visits in the package price, and that the facility has experience with balloon procedures specifically (not just bariatric surgery in general). A quick phone consultation with the clinic’s coordinator can answer most of these questions and give you a sense of whether the program fits your needs.