This might be old news, but check it out....

Wish center surgeons, lap-banding $10,700 in san antonio.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/wish_center_lapband_special.html

That's where I had mine done. It is really a great deal. That covers everything except like all your pre-surgery lab tests, which my insurance covered after my deductible.

The surgeons and staff there are great. I kinda helped that I lived in San Antonio though!

Kristin

wow! thanks for that info. Ive been looking for drs in the US that compare with the prices of MX and this is really close to the $9500 for Dr Ortiz

What pre-surgery lab tests do you have to have? Ive seen some of them and Im sure BCBS will pay for all of these - or I can get my dr to do them :heh: on the pretense of finding out "what" is wrong with me lol

Can someone put the name and link as a sticky? that would be very helpful to all of us new people here and helps alot with Self payors

Thanks :nervous

i do not know what you mean by putting the name and link as a sticky. please clarify and i will do what i can.

i did not have my band done at the center that i mentioned in my message. i paid 15k in houston. i was self pay and had no medical issues, i told the doc that i was healthy, just obese and unhappy. he did not order any pre-op testing, so i cannot offer any advice on that.

legallyKristin used this center, pm her and i bet she can answer your questions.

Make a new thread with the info about the wish center and link to it and then make it a sticky (not sure what it's called on this forum) so it shows as new or important info.

I would have never looked anywhere else but there if I had seen this info first, they have such a great reputation helping people.

I have even asked about prices for the US in another thread but $20,000 was just way too high.

Thanks again )

Yeh I was given the estimate of $25,000 paying cash at my hometown hospital in East Texas, which is 7 hours away from where I'm going to law school. It was a very strange coincidence that the cheapest around ended up being in San Antonio, where I am going to school!

It's unimaginable that there is such a huge cost difference!

Kristin

Kristin,

Where are you from in East Texas???

I live in Marshall and to have it done here it was going to cost me around $25,000, so I am using the same doctor and having it done in Gilmer for $17,500.

I wish I lived closer to San Antonio because that would have saved us a bunch of money!!

Oh well, my bank account today shows that both the Doc and the hospital have cashed my checks....so I've paid and am waiting for Tuesday to get here amd become a bandster!!!

YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME! I was born, raised and lived in Marshall until last August!

Email me if you need any support! I'd be glad to help anyway I can! Getting banded was definately the best thing that ever happened to me.

Kristin

Thanks Kristin

I will take you up on your offer and email you when I have a question!!!!!

Can you believe the Marshall Hosp charging that much more!!!! I guess they are trying to pay for all the renovations they have been doing!!! Luckily My doc has privilages at another hosp!!!

I have lived in Marshall since 1998 and I like it here, so different from Dallas(where we came from).

Is your family still here???

My family is from Marshall, all the way back to my great-great grandparents and most of them are still there today. My aunt is Susan Carey, she has a CPA firm on E. Houston St.

What's sad is that my MOM works for the hospital (for the past 27 years) and they wouldn't negotiate on the $25,000 price. Crazy!

Kristin

I live in Il. and I am going to the wish center. I still have to go to my appointment but I am wondering what you meant by testing costs. I am self pay so I need to keep all of this in mind. thanks so much, for bringing up the center because I posted it in another board and no one knew about the wish center.

Hedwig,

i did not have to have any pre-op testing, but any pre-op testing costs are separate from the surgery cost. some folks must have the sleep study, psych evaluations, meetings with dietician, ekg(or is it ecg?), upper GI, etc. Amazingly, I did not even have to have bloodwork. Good luck to you!

With the Wish Center being self pay I didn't have to have a sleep study, Upper GI or anything else except about 6 different blood tests, a urinalysis and a chest X-Ray. My insurance covered these tests after I met my deductible.

Hope that helps! If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to email me!

Kristin

Another East Texan in the house, I'm from Tyler.

Best of luck to everyone with their weight loss.

Pre-op tests my surgeon's Surgicenter required:

Pre- Op Blood Work

Chest Xray

General Health Screen from Primary Physician

(These were covered under my UHC Insurance even though they did not cover my surgery - I paid $15,000.00 Houston, Texas)

i am going to tallgrass in topeka ks for 10,750. the only thing not included is a psych eval. only prob i have found is they do have a fantastic rep. and it takes awhile to get in, plus you have to attend a seminar before they will even consider scheduling you. here is the link http://www.topekaobesitysurgery.com/