Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

How much did you pay for the lap band?  

15 members have voted

  1. 1. How much did you pay for the lap band?

    • I paid nothing or near nothing, just insurance co-pays.
      423
    • I paid between 5,000 and 7,000
      79
    • I paid between 7,000 and 10,000
      217
    • I paid between 10,000 and 15,000
      300
    • I paid over 15,000.
      253


Recommended Posts

Hi Maggie: Do you have CIGNA by any chance ...they stated to me also 3x in a letter that Lap Band was experimental...grr I'm gonna experiment on them when I cancel my policy!!

I'm looking to go out of state now...but not brave enough for MX...thinking Ohio...13,000 there...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have tricare and I paid nothing. I don't have co-payments or deductibles. It's been really great!:smile2:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

$10,700

Harper Hospital

Detroit, MI

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I paid $6,750.00 and $75.00 for fills but still waiting to see how much of that I can get back on taxes.Obesity is a disease so out of pocket is a tax deduction even though I had it done in Mexico I paid in USA cause the Hospital is American owned.Will update after I do my taxes this year.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My dr. charges $15,500 with four fills, and $17,000 if you stay over night at the hospital. I asked for two years of free fills and he agreed. I'm not sure about the pre-op barium swallow test...got a bill for $1300 from the hospital. Well worth it all..I've lost 8 lbs and at 4 ft. 10 in. it is already one size...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I was just wondering about something similar to this. I am also self-pay in Mexico but I wonder if the chunk that I'm going to be shelling out in fills would be covered under my FSA plan. If so, I'm seriously going to up my FSA amount next year!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

$12,900 cash in Houston, Texas with (the wonderful) Dr. Hadir Spivak.

Our insurance (really employer!) had a WLS exclusion in our policy and there was no way around it. I finally decided that the band is an investment in me and my future with my family. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it! :thumbup: That is also what I chant in my head when I start stressing out over having spent that money! ha . . .:omg:

Ditto on the insurance, the doctor, the cost and the chant! :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I was turned down by insurance so I paid all out of pocket. $20,850. Was alot, but I know it will be worth it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

i voted, and paid $6500, with airfare and one fill so far, the total is $6738.00. not bad, but keeping fingers crossed nothing goes wrong.

Where did you get your surgery?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My insurance would have paid some, but I wasn't in the mood to jump through their required hoops, so I took my little cashier's check and went to Mexico. In retrospect, I would have paid twice as much to have my surgery there. The hospital and staff were stellar. My surgeon and his team have done >3,000 lap band procedures. That was the kind of expertise I was after.

Who was your Doctor in Mexico and how much did you pay?I gave up on my insurance after an appeal denied again.I guess I will come up with the money and get my ass there.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I only paid deductible and copays, about 3k total

BUT I would've paid in full if insurance hadn't. I figure I'm worth it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Aunty Mamo

      Iʻm roughly 6 weeks post-op this morning and have begun to feel like a normal human, with a normal human body again. I started introducing solid foods and pill forms of medications/supplements a couple of weeks ago and it's really amazing to eat meals with my family again, despite the fact that my portions are so much smaller than theirs. 
      I live on the island of Oʻahu and spend a lot of time in the water- for exercise, for play,  and for spiritual & mental health. The day I had my month out appointment with my surgeon, I packed all my gear in my truck, anticipating his permission to get back in the ocean. The minute I walked out of that hospital I drove straight to the shore and got in that water. Hallelujah! My appointment was at 10 am. I didn't get home until after 5 pm. 
      I'm down 31 pounds since the day of surgery and 47 since my pre-op diet began, with that typical week long stall occurring at three weeks. I'm really starting to see some changes lately- some of my clothing is too big, some fits again. The most drastic changes I notice however are in my face. I've also noticed my endurance and flexibility increasing. I was really starting to be held up physically, and I'm so grateful that I'm seeing that turn around in such short order. 
      My general disposition lately is hopeful and motivated. The only thing that bugs me on a daily basis still is the way those supplements make my house smell. So stink! But I just bought a smell proof bag online that other people use to put their pot in. My house doesn't stink anymore. 
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Oh yeah, something I wanted to rant about, a billing dispute that cropped up 3 months ago.
      Surgery was in August of 2023. A bill shows up for over $7,000 in January. WTF? I asks myself. I know that I jumped through all of the insurance hoops and verified this and triple checked that, as did the surgeon's office. All was set, and I paid all of the known costs before surgery.
      A looong story short, is that an assistant surgeon that was in the process of accepting money from my insurance company touched me while I was under anesthesia. That is what the bill was for. But hey, guess what? Some federal legislation was enacted last year to help patients out when they cannot consent to being touched by someone out of their insurance network. These types of bills fall under something called, "surprise billing," and you don't have to put up with it.
      https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises
      I had to make a lot of phone calls to both the surgeon's office and the insurance company and explain my rights and what the maximum out of pocket costs were that I could be liable for. Also had to remind them that it isn't my place to be taking care of all of this and that I was going to escalate things if they could not play nice with one another.
      Quick ending is that I don't have to pay that $7,000+. Advocate, advocate, advocate for yourself no matter how long it takes and learn more about this law if you are ever hit with a surprise bill.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Some days I feel like an infiltrator... I'm participating in society as a "thin" person. They have no idea that I haven't always been one of them! 🤣
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • ChunkCat

      Thank you everyone for your well wishes! I totally forgot I wrote an update here... I'm one week post op today. I gained 15 lbs in water weight overnight because they had to give me tons of fluids to bring my BP up after surgery! I stayed one night in the hospital. Everything has been fine except I seem to have picked up a bug while I was there and I've been running a low grade fever, coughing, and a sore throat. So I've been hydrating well and sleeping a ton. So far the Covid tests are negative.
      I haven't been able to advance my diet past purees. Everything I eat other than tofu makes me choke and feels like trying to swallow rocks. They warned me it would get worse before it gets better, so lets hope this is all normal. I have my follow up on Monday so we'll see. Living on shakes and soup again is not fun. I had enough of them the first time!! LOL 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Still purging all of the larger clothing. This morning, a shirt that I ADORED wearing ended up on top. Hard to let it go, but it was also hard to let go of those habits that also no longer serve my highest good. Onward and upward!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×