Hi all.

I just got this email from a local bariatric center:

"Thank you for your interest in our program. The estimated cost of the Sleeve Gasterectomy is $35,300 . This price includes all of your pre-surgical appointments, the surgeons fee, the anesthesia fee, the hospital fee, BLIS insurance (insurance coverage for 90 days following your surgery), and one year follow-up with your surgeon...."

She goes on to give me some names of places that might finance me.

Am I crazy or does this sound exceptionally high?? I was under the impression that the surgery would be under $10,000 but I can rarely get anyone to tell me how much they paid.

Could I get someone to give me some help in this??

Thanks, apples

wish I could of gone to Mexico, I could of bought a car with the differance.

$12,200 Hospital

$7,000 Dr's fee

$2300 blood test(vitamin)

$1800 Anesthesia

$1300 upper endoscopy

$ 375 Psycho fee

$500 consultation fee

$350 nutritionist

total

$25,475.00. I was told it would cost this much. My surgeon is from Columbian Presbyterian Medical Center, in New York City. My surgery is in Valley Hospital in New Jersey. If I were to have the surgery at Columbian, it would be around $50,000.00 I'm getting sleeved tomorrow. :-)

7800 all inclusive with dr abril in Mexicali, whatever you do avoid TJ !!

I'm also in NYC and the $35,000 seems pretty in scope for this part of the country. I'm insured by Aetna and they say the typical bariatric surgery in NYC including hospital costs $31,703. This is compared with St. Louis which came up just below $21,000, and San Antonio which was around $23,000. Life in NYC is very expensive!!! Personally, though it's expensive I wouldn't travel to have the surgery. You want to be close to home for the surgery and aftercare plus follow-up doctor visits.

My grand total came to just under $22,000 USD.

Why is self-pay cheaper than insurance paid? That seems weird to me...

I had $1000 out-of-pocket and $3000 deductible and about another $1000 for miscellaneous like consultations, bariatric food items etc. -- so, even if your insurance covers WLS or VSG, you still have a good chunk to pay out of pocket

Hospitals usually give 25-35% off when you have to self pay.

jeez, much cheaper in the US, i paid £12,000 sterling...

jeez, much cheaper in the US, i paid £12,000 sterling...

Really? From my calculation, £12,000 come out to a little over $19,000 which seems to be less than most people here quoted

I got my sleeve in here Dallas 10 days ago and it cost me only 12,500 dollars.

I understand that cost can be a determining factor for many people. I would already be in Mexico if my husband and I had passports but we don't and I don't want the extra expense of expediting them when there are US surgery costs so close to those prices in Mexico. I think my decision is 80/20 (80 to stay in US) at this point, unless finances become more of an issue.Good Luck to everyone!!

$18000

Wow thanks to every one for their responses! I will keep checking around and see what I can come up with.

I paid around $13,000 with Dr. Jawad in Ocala and Orlando. The presurgery blood work etc was an extra, but my insurance paid that. The quote you were given is the full freight paid by insurance companies. Get in touch with Dr. Jawad's office. If you need more local time after the typical one or two day hospital stay, there are good local hotels which offer hospital rates for nice comfortable suites. (Like Residence Inn, Homestead Suites) within just a few minutes of the hospital in Ocala. I was sleeved 4/18/11 and am self pay. Very happy that I choose Dr. Jawad. Good luck. It is money well spent!

Why is the self-pay quote less than insurance? A surgery is a surgery and it should cost the same, regardless. I'm asking because I have to pay 15% of my surgery and why should it be more just because I have insurance? <BR><BR>Ok...just saw where someone else posted the same question. It doesn't seem fair for those of us who are paying for an insurance plan to pay for it (I picked a higher-rate plan so I could have insurance for surgery). The rate should be the same regardless. So now, my 15% is higher just because I have insurance.

$8995.00 in the Dominican Republic with Dr Edgar Leino. All inclusive, except the plane ticket. 1 week total stay. :