Advice Needed Please

[Peaceole]

Hi there, well I am happy to see there is a forum for this but I am very nervous and not sure what to do. I have Advmed Insurance which I understand does not cover this procedure is there any insurance company that does cover this procedure such as Aetna my husband is going to work for a company that has this insurance and if it is covered we thought it would be good to use for this? If not and IF I have to pay for this out of my own pocket can I get an idea on what am I looking to pay? Where is the best place to go? Does this really work? Can you tell I am nervous I could use some sound expert advice from people who have been through this.

[cleo6666]

Hi there, well I am happy to see there is a forum for this but I am very nervous and not sure what to do. I have Advmed Insurance which I understand does not cover this procedure is there any insurance company that does cover this procedure such as Aetna my husband is going to work for a company that has this insurance and if it is covered we thought it would be good to use for this? If not and IF I have to pay for this out of my own pocket can I get an idea on what am I looking to pay? Where is the best place to go? Does this really work? Can you tell I am nervous I could use some sound expert advice from people who have been through this.

It is my understanding that insurance for the most part does not cover it in the US. In fact in the US I think the criteria for the surgery is different than Mexico.

Double check on the current price on the Obesity Control Center. I paid $8500 for my surgery one month ago. It included transportation to and from the San Diego airport, 3 nights in a nice hotel, transportation to and from the clinic, all the pre-op work and the surgery. If you bring someone with you like a friend or your husband, they can stay at the hotel with you at no extra fee. In fact one night you stay in the hospital over night, so who ever comes with you gets that night in the hotel.

I had my surgery done by Dr. Ortiz in Mexico. I recommend him and his professional staff.

Keep reading the forum, there is a wealth of information. Look at the forum post I believe is "Banded Aug 28" or "August Banded Patients". They both show up in View New Posts almost every day. I have responded there quite a bit, as have several people who are there now and are headed there today and tomorrow I believe.

My handle is cleo6666, and I think you can access the things I've wrote. Take a look. I had the surgery 6 weeks ago, so I'm "fresh meat". I go for my first fill in 8 days. I'm really excited.

This truly is a life changing experience. You have to be prepared mentally. It is not a quick fix. Only a tool. But it's a good tool if you use it correctly.

A fellow lapbander.....Michele

[Rid]

I posted this in another thread, but I have some information on MY doctor, who was not Ortiz. I have a little more info on costs and doctors after my experience. Dr. Ortiz is VERY well regarded, and if you are comfortable going to Mexico, he is a good option for you.

I found a doctor in Thousand Oaks, which is about an hour and half west of you along the 101 freeway. His name is Dr. Donald Waldrep. He has done a lot of bariatric surgeries in Sacramento, and is expanding his practice in so cal. He is currently offering a cash price discount for so cal patients in the amount of $11,011. That covers surgery, and the pre-op appointment. Pre-op labs, consults with a nutritionist and psychologist, and fills are all extra. I also had my regular doctor do a pre-op clearance. He does the surgery at the Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital, which is REALLY nice.

Feel free to respond back, or send a personal message if you want. I can't say enough good things about Dr. Waldrep. I'll be a week post op tomorrow, and have already lost 30 pounds from the pre-op diet and since the surgery. I'm VERY glad I did this.

You can also check out my more detailed postings about my exerience on my newly banded thread:

http://www.lapbandforum.com/index.php?showtopic=657

[LoriBecky]

Hi Peace,

If you want to email me your current BMI, etc I can give you an idea if insurance will even consider you for surgery. Most or our patients are either denied by insurance, don't have insurance, or don't want to wait a year (or longer).

You can email me or PM me to keep your information confidential

[Littleroo27]

The surgery costs do vary depending on where you have it done. My insurance has a blanket denial on weight loss surgeries, which is a huge bummer. I did consider getting private insurance (self-pay) with a company that would cover the surgery, but it would have taken at least a year to get approval because it would be considered a pre-existing condition. Then I would still have to pay the monthly insurance premiums and the co-payments and deductibles and... it just wasn't worth it to me.

Dr. Ortiz charges under or around $10,000 with free fills for life. The hospital I was working with charges $18,000 and each fill is around $500. Dr. Ortiz is ideal for me because I live in San Diego, so his office is nothing more then a trolley ride and a taxi away.

There are options to get payment if you want to go through the hassle, but for me, the best option was a fixed APR low interest credit card and Dr. Ortiz. I am still pre-op and I meet Dr. Ortiz on Monday for my consultation, but I am fully prepared to have this done, I just need a date!

Hi there, well I am happy to see there is a forum for this but I am very nervous and not sure what to do. I have Advmed Insurance which I understand does not cover this procedure is there any insurance company that does cover this procedure such as Aetna my husband is going to work for a company that has this insurance and if it is covered we thought it would be good to use for this? If not and IF I have to pay for this out of my own pocket can I get an idea on what am I looking to pay? Where is the best place to go? Does this really work? Can you tell I am nervous I could use some sound expert advice from people who have been through this.

[PAMMIE]

The surgery costs do vary depending on where you have it done. My insurance has a blanket denial on weight loss surgeries, which is a huge bummer. I did consider getting private insurance (self-pay) with a company that would cover the surgery, but it would have taken at least a year to get approval because it would be considered a pre-existing condition. Then I would still have to pay the monthly insurance premiums and the co-payments and deductibles and... it just wasn't worth it to me.

Dr. Ortiz charges under or around $10,000 with free fills for life. The hospital I was working with charges $18,000 and each fill is around $500. Dr. Ortiz is ideal for me because I live in San Diego, so his office is nothing more then a trolley ride and a taxi away.

There are options to get payment if you want to go through the hassle, but for me, the best option was a fixed APR low interest credit card and Dr. Ortiz. I am still pre-op and I meet Dr. Ortiz on Monday for my consultation, but I am fully prepared to have this done, I just need a date!

GOOD LUCK ON MONDAY LITTLEROO!!!