hi everyone well iam wanting to get the surgery ... so can anyone PLEASE tell me what the fees are ... they are charging me 2100 dollars for the surgery and the support groups ... do i actucally need these services after the surgery... if you google support groups for lap bands they have FREE groups , and i have BCBS and with speciality doctors iam only suppose to pay 50.00 per visit iam i missing something on my invoice?

Some places have "program fees" that you pay.

I have bcbs il and I have to pay up to my deductible which will be about 2000 out of 20,000 so I'm not complaining. My dic says the support groups are not mandatory but yours might be different. You have to remember you will have to have labs done and some people are made to do X-rays, swallow evaluation, echo, etc. and it doesn't cover the Pre psych eval and dietitian. You will have to take vitamins the rest of your life and those can be $60 a month with your protein supplements. You will pay for fills which that varies. It all adds up but do worth it when you are healthy.

I have bcbs il and I have to pay up to my deductible which will be about 2000 out of 20,000 so I'm not complaining. My dic says the support groups are not mandatory but yours might be different. You have to remember you will have to have labs done and some people are made to do X-rays, swallow evaluation, echo, etc. and it doesn't cover the Pre psych eval and dietitian. You will have to take Vitamins the rest of your life and those can be $60 a month with your Protein supplements. You will pay for fills which that varies. It all adds up but do worth it when you are healthy.

If they are charging a program fee, she has to pay for all of the things listed plus the fee. It's a way for facilities to make more money off of people.

thank u

My understanding is most places provide services that they cannot bill insurance companies for. For example support groups, handouts and all sorts of other educational material. Place I went to had a $400 program fee and they allowed us to make payments if needed but had to be paid in full by the time a surgery date was made.

My understanding is most places provide services that they cannot bill insurance companies for. For example support groups, handouts and all sorts of other educational material. Place I went to had a $400 program fee and they allowed us to make payments if needed but had to be paid in full by the time a surgery date was made.

I guessed I lucked out because I did not face all of those fees.

I just received the statement of benefits for my surgery and the surgeon was paid under $1000 for the surgery which I think is pretty low. The hospital got over $8000.

My insurance covered just about all of my expenses. But my surgeons office requires you to do nutritional counseling and of course they require up front payment and insurance did not reimburse. Think total out of pocket was around 400. Yeah it is crap.

hi everyone well iam wanting to get the surgery ... so can anyone PLEASE tell me what the fees are ... they are charging me 2100 dollars for the surgery and the support groups ... do i actucally need these services after the surgery... if you google support groups for lap bands they have FREE groups ' date=' and i have BCBS and with speciality doctors iam only suppose to pay 50.00 per visit iam i missing something on my invoice?[/quote']

First seminar hospital wanted $400 program fee. I said no way. Went to another hospital with no fees beyond insurance. Fees are just way make extra money. Find another doctor.

thanks guys we found another surgon and they made me feel like they knew what they were talking about and not blowing sunshine up my fat A@# ... the other company had told me everything else is all up to me except the psych eval that pisses me off how some ppl pray off of the needy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yah I paid $300 for a program fee today. Worth it though

I went to a center of excellence and did not pay any extras.

I paid $30 for each visit with the surgeon, $225 for 90 day weight loss supervision with the nutritionist and $40 psych evaluation. I was wondering about how much are the fills out of pocket in case I change jobs

****DIVALICIOUS****

well on friday iam going to see another place ... hopefully this is the one... this place had told us that I DO NOT HAVE TO PAY EXRTA FEES IF I CHOOSE NOT TO ... the other place was telling us WE NEED TO PAY ALL THESE EXTRAS ... until me and my boyfriend did more research on the program. there r suppose groups out there like nna meets family suppose ect ect ... FOR FREE!!! and my psyhic eval threw BCBS is only 50.00 . At the other place they are telling me i have to pay 2000.00 up front plus i have to meet my deductable ( 1000.00 ) plus 17 for each protien drink plus there support group and office visits . dont me wrong i want the support groups and all the added things that go with it but WE DONT WANT TO GET ROBBED EITHER!

THIS IS SOOOOO STRESSFUL!!!!!

Some Dr's are in it to make even more money. Hopefully you are going to check out a center of excellence. I have heard that some charge program fees, but most do not.