I am curious if this is the norm and wanted to gauge what others had to pay.

I am meeting with a surgeon and their fees are $1000 plus a $2-300 Optifast diet. Seems steep.

I was thinking of going to another surgeon but he has a nice track record from others I have searched and he is the only surgeon on the West Coast of FL that does only once incicion (in the belly button) so easier healing and less cutting. (Personally after having surgery from an ectopic pregnancy and losing my left ovary, etc and having 4 surgical cuts to heal, this was a PLUS).

Also, his office is close to me so will be easier for follow up care, etc.

So with all of that said, is $1k normal or do most surgeons not charge? TIA

There are a few Dr's in Tampa that are free. However it's just not very convenient for me to go back and forth.

Question about your Dr. - I have heard wonderful things about her as well. How was her bedside manner and her aftercare?

Have you had any issues since banding?

What hospital did you have it performed at? I so wish I had someone local to talk to. I attend orientation tomorrow so I hope I can find a "buddy" of sorts.

Dr. Jessee was awesome. Very Professional! I never feel afraid to ask her questions like I have with other doctors in the past! I just had my surgery last Wed. but I have been going to all the appts at her office so I have met her whole team for the most part. I have never had a problem with any of them. Usually you get one person who has an attitude or what not but not there.

I had my surgery at the Carillon Outpatient center in St. Petersburg. I went in at 7am. I had my surgery around 9:30. I was getting in the car to go home by noon. It was awesome especially since I planned to be there the entire day. They just had to make sure I could get up and walk and go to the bathroom.

Like I said I am not sure about any other doctor. I went with Dr. Jessee right off the bat because I am new to the area and heard wonderful things about her and everything was true!!!

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Dr. Jessee was awesome. Very Professional! I never feel afraid to ask her questions like I have with other doctors in the past! I just had my surgery last Wed. but I have been going to all the appts at her office so I have met her whole team for the most part. I have never had a problem with any of them. Usually you get one person who has an attitude or what not but not there.

I had my surgery at the Carillon Outpatient center in St. Petersburg. I went in at 7am. I had my surgery around 9:30. I was getting in the car to go home by noon. It was awesome especially since I planned to be there the entire day. They just had to make sure I could get up and walk and go to the bathroom.

Like I said I am not sure about any other doctor. I went with Dr. Jessee right off the bat because I am new to the area and heard wonderful things about her and everything was true!!!

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Forgot to mention that someone from Dr. Jessee"s office called me two days in a row after surgery to check on me! That made me feel like they really did care

Forgot to mention that someone from Dr. Jessee"s office called me two days in a row after surgery to check on me! That made me feel like they really did care

Thanks Dawn! Good luck on everything and I will continue to see how your journey goes I am going to my orientation tomorrow at Dr. Rehnke's ofc. I hope I meet him tomorrow. If I have any reservations or don't feel comfortable, I may make an appt with Dr. Jessee. I am relunctant to push it back again and have to start with the appts when all have been set. Tomorrow will be interesting!!

I am curious if this is the norm and wanted to gauge what others had to pay.

I am meeting with a surgeon and their fees are $1000 plus a $2-300 Optifast diet. Seems steep.

I was thinking of going to another surgeon but he has a nice track record from others I have searched and he is the only surgeon on the West Coast of FL that does only once incicion (in the belly button) so easier healing and less cutting. (Personally after having surgery from an ectopic pregnancy and losing my left ovary, etc and having 4 surgical cuts to heal, this was a PLUS).

Also, his office is close to me so will be easier for follow up care, etc.

So with all of that said, is $1k normal or do most surgeons not charge? TIA

Check with:

Carillon Surgery Center

St. Petersberg, FL

Outpatient

Fully Accredited

They're a Center of Excellence and can virtually be guaranteed to give superior service

Thanks Dawn! Good luck on everything and I will continue to see how your journey goes I am going to my orientation tomorrow at Dr. Rehnke's ofc. I hope I meet him tomorrow. If I have any reservations or don't feel comfortable, I may make an appt with Dr. Jessee. I am relunctant to push it back again and have to start with the appts when all have been set. Tomorrow will be interesting!!

Good luck on the beginning of your journey!!! Just contact me if you have any ?s or just feel like chatting!

Check with:

Carillon Surgery Center

St. Petersberg, FL

Outpatient

Fully Accredited

They're a Center of Excellence and can virtually be guaranteed to give superior service

This is where I had my surgery done! They are wonderful!!!

Check with:

Carillon Surgery Center

St. Petersberg, FL

Outpatient

Fully Accredited

They're a Center of Excellence and can virtually be guaranteed to give superior service

That is where Dr. Jessee is I think. Do you know anything about Palms of Pasadena by chance and what their rating is or where I can find that info?

I am curious if this is the norm and wanted to gauge what others had to pay.

I am meeting with a surgeon and their fees are $1000 plus a $2-300 Optifast diet. Seems steep.

I was thinking of going to another surgeon but he has a nice track record from others I have searched and he is the only surgeon on the West Coast of FL that does only once incicion (in the belly button) so easier healing and less cutting. (Personally after having surgery from an ectopic pregnancy and losing my left ovary, etc and having 4 surgical cuts to heal, this was a PLUS).

Also, his office is close to me so will be easier for follow up care, etc.

So with all of that said, is $1k normal or do most surgeons not charge? TIA

Hello LeChill: My husband and I are both being banded by Dr. R. Hubby just had his this Friday. He has already lost 19 pounds. I have my last PCP weigh in Nov. First. Then I go next. These are the fees we paid. The Optifast is to shrink the stomach. Dr. Jesse also works with Dr. R. ( He is also a christian Dr. which means alot to hubby and myself) He is very kind and understanding. I have heard nothing but good things about Dr. Jesse also. Please join us at the palsm of passidina hopspital Thirsday evening from 6:30-7:30

for the support group. There you can get all your questions answered by the patients themselves. We have all the different pocedures and many of the physicans patients there. Remember you also have to have all those fills done. So you want to go where you will have the most support. Good luck to you. I hope we can meet soon.

In my job, ALL of our income is dependent on what the Insurance companies will pay.

My office will get a pre-cert on what the insurance company will pay, and what the patients responsibility will be.

Is is then up to the office as to how the patient will pay their share. It can be all up front, you can pay 1/2 now and the rest later, you can pay nothing up front but sign a letter guaranteeing financial responsibility, etc, etc.

Bottom line is that YOU are responsible for any $$ not paid by the Insurance Co., and it is freely the discretion how each individual office wants to handle this.

If they have been burned enough times, and have to deal with collections all the time, it may be easier to adopt a policy of everything up front.

Both Beth Israel (a Center of Excellence where I'm having my surgery) and Brigham & Women's are both excellent hospitals in Boston and they both charge a $500 "program fee". This covered things like the psych visit, nurse visit, gallbladder ultrasound, urinalysis and blood work. I would have gotten it back if I didn't go through with the surgery for any reason.