skyeblu79

Hi, I am considering doing my surgery in MX. Right now I am still researching. I want to see what doctors in my area or @ least NC that will do aftercare for people that did the procedure in MX. I currently live in the Raleigh/Durham area. Thanks!!

Hello, I am still trying to chose a doctor and I am trying to think of all the important questions to ask. I keep finding more and more and I am searching on this site. Things I never thought about like getting a serial # for your band and asking for a copy of your medical records in English. I appreciate any other questions that you think would be helpful or that you asked when you were still researching doctors. Thanks:)

I will starting researching Dr. Kuri now. I have seen some others on here mention him as well... I have Dr. Ortiz' website. I should be able to do a search for Rumbaut. Another doctor I have seen mentioned a lot is Dr. Arturo Rodriguez. So, I guess I will check him out too... I might have some more questions on Dr. Kuri once I do more research. Thanks so much!!

I am in a similar situation. My job now has insurance that will not cover the surgery. My previous insurance (BCBS State Plan) wouldn't cover it either. I thought about checking out other companies that have insurance that would cover the surgery. Bottom line is that I am tired of waiting. I am also a student. I am a grad student, so I am borrowing up to the max to cover the surgery. After get my refund in January I should be able to finance the surgery. I could definitely use the $$ in other ways, but I am really determined now to get this surgery. I don't know if this is an option for you. The interest rate on student loans seem to be way cheaper than these finance companies. Plus, by the time you have to repay it you will already be out of school and working. Right now my plan is finding a doctor in Mexico b/c it's a lot cheaper. Good luck!!

I will definitely ? the doctor I chose on this. Thanks for the info.

Hi to both of you. Thanks so much for replying. The Best Me- I will try to look up some info on Dr. Kuri. Do you have a website anything? I have mostly been hearing about Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Rumbault in Mexico. How were you experiences with Dr. Kuri? Susan- I am a grad student, so I am using my student loans to finance the surgery. I should have the rest of the $$ needed in January. From your stats, both of you seem to be doing very well. Thanks again for replying!!

If you do have complications with your band and you want to have it replaced do the doctors give you any kind of break with the price of replacing it. I was reading some of these posts and I am planning on self-paying. I would hate to spend all that $$ and chance something going wrong down the line. If the band has to come out, do you have to pay for that as well. Are the complications looked @ as something that just happens and it's not the doctors fault? Also, I most likely will go to Mexico for my surgery. I am figuring that if something did go wrong I wouldn't be able to fly back to have it removed, etc. Thanks

I just wanted to say hi and reintroduce myself. I am not really a newbie. I was posting earlier this year with the hopes that my insurance would pay for my surgery. I found out that my UHC plan wouldn't cover it and I basically put the thought out of my head. I have now decided to save up and finance the surgery myself. I really didn't think of this as being an option @ all before. I have been saving and I think after tax time that I should have enough to do the surgery. The $$ could surely go to other ways (family, etc.), but I see this as my last resort. Either way the $$ would go to good use. Anywho, I pretty much see that I will have to do the surgery in Mexico, b/c that is the only way I can afford it. My family and friends will probably have a cow when they find this out. I have really only started researching this as an option a few days ago. I still have @ least 3 months away to completely decide doctors, etc and to research everything. I have gotten a lot of information on hear and would love to talk to people about their experiences with the lapband and surgery in Mexico. Thanks!!!

The plan I have is called Choice Plus. I asked one of my coworkers and they said it is a large group plan. Later today, I will check with HR just to make sure. I looked on the UHC website and weight loss surgery wasn't listed under my plan as an exclusion. They had stuff like plastic surgery, etc.

I'm not sure who is was, but the rep I spoke w/yesterday could see where I had spoken with @ least 2 other people. And all there phone are supposedly recorded, so hopefully if needed they could pull the phone calls. So, maybe I should wait for the copy of the policy before calling back. It just doesn't seem far that they should be able to get give out false info like this. This is too important for insurance companies to be messing up.

I will definitely dig deeper. I am going to call back today. The rep yesterday really didn't tell me much other than the other people I spoke w/were wrong. One of the main reasons I stayed with my company was b/c I thought the insurance would cover the surgery. I really don't see self pay as an option. At least not at this point in my life. I don't make that much $$. I am in the process of starting grad school & that is going to tie up a lot of funds. If I finance, I am thinking it will probably be more than my car payment. Maybe after I finish grad school, but that is @ least another 2-3 years down the line.

Thanks for the quick replies. So, there is basically nothing I can do. I just hate that UHC had me running around for 4 months and my hopes up.:cry

Hi, I just found out my insurance company (United Health Care) will not cover the procedure. :confused: I have been told since January that it would be covered if approved. I called back yesterday and I was told the previous representatives were wrong and that it isn't even covered under my type of plan. I have wasted my time, my doctor's time, energy, and money for doctor's appointments. Basically, I am just really disappointed. :cry My doctor and I both thought I had a good chance of being approved. I thought I was doing everything wrong and it has just turned so wrong. Does anyone know any other avenues? I plan on calling the insurance co. back today just to double check, preferrably w/a supervisor this time. I did ask the rep yesterday to send me a letter and the part of my plan showing that the surgery isn't covered. Any help or advise is appreciated. Thanks!!!

Hi Gordonfamily3, It would be really nice to have group here in the triangle. Hopefully I will get a chance to check out the Charlotte group. Thanks!!

Mrs Sabre, Thank you so much for replying. I am going now to check out the Inamed website. Dr. Bauman & Dr. Voellinger's name has come up a lot. I will definitely check look into them as well... Thanks for the warm welcome!!!!

Hi, I just wanted to introduce myself. I am 27 years old and live in the Durham area. I have been on this board almost everyday for past couple of months and finally decided to post. I am presently considering the lap band procedure. Well I guess I am past considering. I had an appointment with my Dr on March 3rd and she recommended I do a sleep study. Once I complete my sleep study and get my blood work back, she will write my recommendation for the procedure. Hopefully, my insurance co. (UHC) will cover the procedure. I just have a few question/comments: 1) Surgeons- I would prefer a surgeon near me, but I don't see very many experienced surgeons in this area. One of the surgeons my doctor gave me recently retired and the other is in Pinehurst. I would like to first look at my closes options & the go further away. I will drive if I have too. I want to a great surgeon. 2) Time off pre-surgery- From reading Duke's website, I could finish all the preliminaries in less than 2 days. I want the least amount of time off work as possible. What were your experiences with this? 3) Another Surgeon ?- How do I go about researching surgeons? I found a few websites that tell the # of surgeons completed, etc. Are there any good sites with a lot of info? Where can I find the info that the doctors won't tell me about themselves? I am interested in anything open to the public. I don't mean to go on forever. I think this is really all I have for now. I appreciate any helpful info you all can provide. And thanks!!!