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.

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.

: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!

Its been an interesting journey for me. I went from getting banded and being a band rockstar losing like 70lbs in 4-5 months to losing all restriction for about 6 months and gaining 10lbs. Discovered my band had a leak due to a bad band. They replaced my band yesterday and I'm excited to get back on track. Lets see if this time around I can keep rocking the weight loss and meet my goal. I'll post my surgery experience after I'm less drugged up.

Its been an interesting journey for me. I went from getting banded and being a band rockstar losing like 70lbs in 4-5 months to losing all restriction for about 6 months and gaining 10lbs. Discovered my band had a leak due to a bad band. They replaced my band yesterday and I'm excited to get back on track. Lets see if this time around I can keep rocking the weight loss and meet my goal. I'll post my surgery experience after I'm less drugged up.