MrRiceGuy

I just moved back up to Reno, NV and will happily support her. I don't know anyone up here anyway, so works good for me.

I have Blue Cross of California PPO as well. They are out of network; However, Beverly Hills did do an "insurance verification" and assured me that since they're out of the network I'd have to pay the facility fee out of pocket ($4000), but the rest will be covered under insurance. Over a year after the surgery, well after I thought I was done with them I received a bill for roughly $8500. So, even though they said you're verified and that all is paid for, doesn't mean they won't come after you down the line for money.

wow! that is what they quoted me "between 4500 - 6000"! I though good grief...so how do I get in touch with the place you went through?

STAY AWAY!!! I have a PPO also, and I got quoted $4000 out of pocket and insurance covers the rest. Over a year later, I began getting bills for much more. Just yesterday I received a bill for $8500 even though they specifically told me all I would be charged is the $4000 initial out of pocket.

When I called the billing department to try to figure out what the charge is for, they explained that the bill is for tax purposes and they just need me to send a letter saying I can't afford to pay the bill so they can write the $8500 off on their taxes. Sounds like tax evasion and they require the patients help or your stuck with the bill.

EDIT: I guess the point is that once the honeymoon is over, they show their true colors. Why else would they wait over a year and a half to send me the bill?

They're a scam. I got my lap band done with them. I was a "insurance pay" which they do an insurance verification before you can get in to make an appt. Once they've verified how insurance is going to work, they tell you how much you must pay out of pocket and the rest will be covered by the insurance. Well, for me I pay $4000 out of pocket and the rest my insurance was supposed to pay for. After over a year and 4 months later, my first band already failed, I had to get a new one. The new one looks like it may have problems too, but the worst of all, I just got a bill for $8500 for my first surgery. They explain that if you can't afford the bill during your consultation you can write a letter stating so and they won't come after you and they just claim it on their taxes. Turns out then when you pay your bill, they're still going to send additional bills so they can claim you on their taxes (unless I want to pay the $8500 out of pocket).

So, long story short, they run very shady business practices and make their patients help them do so by keep billing them unnecessary bills. I'm excited to see what bills I get next over the next year and a half from them :w00t:

So, Dr. Feiz is a great doctor... but my TERRIBLE EXPERIENCES WITH BEVERLY HILLS PHYSICIANS CONTINUES. I'll post all about their shady business in a different thread since it's not entirely related to Dr. Feiz - just avoid using Beverly Hills Physicians by all means possible!

I think Dr Feiz is a great surgeon. I feel that he's very accommodating and caring. However, there's mixed feelings with Beverly Hills Physicians on here due to their money hungry approach and results they turn out. If all else fails, use Dr.Feiz's private business and you'll most likely be happier. Just my 2 cents with my experience with my insurance.

most of the time I will eat with them before any nakedness happens

:frown: ....epic

I was really liking where this thread was going... people telling me how cute I am :biggrin: .... lets go back to that!

I have taken this experience and am using it to fuel my fire. I'm not too upset with the situation, I kind of expect it in the circle I hang with, but at the same time, to hear it always sucks. But it's okay.

Like you all said, we'll show those b*tches ... some day :thumbup:

To be honest, I have no idea. The complications were probably more related to my habits and allergies causing me to swallow a lot of air creating gas pains. But if it weren't for the pain we wouldn't have discovered the leaking band which explains my lack of restriction. I'm just happy to be back on the wagon.

I don't even know where to start. I went to Vegas with some guy friends and we were all out at a O'Sheas (across of Caesar's Palace) playing beer pong. Well my buy friends I roll with are the typical alpha males, tall athletic, good looking, blah blah blah. Well, they were talking to (hitting on) these girls, and they pointed at me and asked if I was with them. As they confirmed, the girls said something along the lines of, "Oh, I get it, you bring him around to make you guys look better". :w00t:

:smile2: Now, I can accept being bigger, or whatever, but I've never heard anything so rude in my life. In one hand, I'm totally down and can't believe what I just heard, and on the other hand I'm more and more motivated to lose weight. On another hand (yeah, I have three), I was so close to breaking some skulls, because I may be the bigger one, but I'm also the muscles :thumbup:

Well, that is it. I guess I'm more venting than anything. Anyone have a bad experiences that are more motivation than anything; or bad experiences to make me feel better?

I guess I'll add a mans voice to this board... so, welcome all to this board. My name is RJ and I was banded last year, but had complications and am now rebanded as of this past weekend (Jan 29). So, though I see some of you are banded already and some in the near and far future, we can all rock our bands together :thumbup:

Well, as mentioned above, I got rebanded. Recovery and everything was MUCH better this time around. It's nice to have restriction again. It's great to get full off of fluids, since it's been almost a year since I've had that. Since I got the band (1 week ago), I lost 10 lbs. I won't officially weigh in until Monday, but I cheated and took a look and it's melting off again. W00T!

Well, just got home from my surgery, and they were able to give me a band exchange without an issue...woot!

I don't mean to hi-jack this thread, but I am on a clear liquid diet for the next couple days and would like to know more on what people are having (or could have)

Last June (2009) I had my band completely unfilled due to some pains and complications. After 6 months, I got an endoscopy and everything looked clean. So, my doctor felt it was safe to refill my band. I went to get my first fill and when I got my fill, it hurt in the chest real bad. But then we discovered that there was a leak after we inserted 10cc but can only pull out 6cc. So, Doctor is referring me to have the band removed and possibly reinstalled

I'm really hoping that all this headache was due to a broken band and that we can just replace it with a new one because I was doing really good with the band when it was working with me.

Well, I'm officially a failure. I just got back in town from the holidays and I have a net gain for 2 lbs :biggrin:

Holidays are the death of me!

Yup. Bit off more than I can chew. I've lost a whopping 5lbs. I'm in negotiations to restructure the wager part of this, double the money, same weight, more time.

But nonetheless, I'm determined to lose weight before New Year's gets here.

I just got back in town from a vacation with a bunch of my friends and I'd be lying if I said I'm not afraid to weigh in. I'll weigh in tomorrow or the day after and let you know know how my "lose before New Year's is going". :thumbup:

Thanks for all the support guys! I'm liking that others are wanting to take on a similar challenge!

TOP 5 HOLIDAY OBSTACLES SO FAR:

1.) Thanksgiving

2.) Thanksgiving Leftovers

3.) Holiday Cookies and candies Out in the Open at Work

4.) Holiday Parties

5.) Getting Darker and Colder Earlier (hard to motivate past)

Well, I'm already behind the curve. I've only lost 3lbs this week :sad:

Yea, I realize it's unrealistic, but I have to have a dream, right? If I just lose weight through the holidays that' be a huge achievement. After this past holiday, I'm starting to realize this is going to be REAL tough.

Seems like every year people make resolutions after New Year's Day to lose weight. A lot of these peoples journeys start with the good chunk of pounds they put on over the holidays. That sounds like running backwards for the first leg of a race.

This is my first holiday season with the band, and I'm going to have it work for me. So, instead of trying to lose the weight I gained over the holidays after New Year's, I'm going to raise the ante and try to lose weight through the holidays.

Maybe it's because I'm from Vegas and I'm a gambling man, or maybe money motivates me, but I bet my buddy $100 that I can lose 35 lbs by Christmas day. The odds are against me and but I got the weight to lose. It'll be harder than anything I've done since I'm at a 6-month plateau.

Wish me luck!

START: 295 on November 24

GOAL: 260 by Christmas day!

Thanks! Still a long way to go....

Holy bananas, Batman! You've lost a tremendous amount of weight in just 3 months. You're an inspiration to all.

OMG! That's amazing. I'm so jealous and super proud of you.

Awesome job, Drew. You do know now that you're all skinny and stuff you can take off your t-shirt and even out that tan of yours, right?

I wear Nike Air Max Moto and they come in 4E, I know that's not 6E, but it's pretty wide and comfy