Just wondering how much you payed as a self-pay?

Where did you have it done?

My mom is looking to get the sleeve and just found out her insurance has an EXCLUSION for all WLS. I'm sooo sad for her. So we are going to try to appeal but I'm not sure if that will work if there is an exclusion... If anyone has any input on this we'd really really appreciate it.

Thanks

If her policy has a complete exclusion for all WLS, then it's very unlikely that an appeal would do any good. You can certainly try but I work in insurance and this is usually the case. Sorry.

I paid $5500 in Tijuana MX with Dr Kelly. This included everything except airline fare to San Diego. I had a great experience. I have a detailed day by day experience on my profile in the "about me" section if you'd like to know more.

My surgeon charges $11,000 for everything except pre surgery tests. Surgeon has my PCP order labs and tests so they'll be covered by insurance. I haven't been sleeved yet, so I don't know if any surprise charges might show up. Good luck to your mom.

Unfortunately, I'm in South Florida and paid around $17,000. I was contemplating going to Michigan and paying $11,000 to a surgeon for the same procedure but opted to have it done locally.

Dr Aceves charges $8,750 in Mexicali, everything included including night before at a nice hotel and transportation to/from San Diego airport.

Dr. Almanza in Tiajuana charges $4500 for the sleeve - everything included except airfare and hotel if you fly into San Diego the day before. I am 56 and will have surgery in the morning (I'm in the hotel now).... Yea!!!! Reb

Good luck Gardendiva!

Dr. Almanza in Tiajuana charges $4500 for the sleeve - everything included except airfare and hotel if you fly into San Diego the day before. I am 56 and will have surgery in the morning (I'm in the hotel now).... Yea!!!! Reb

Yeaaa!! Good Luck! My mom is your age and is thinking about going to Mex for the surgery. Please let us know how your experience is! Congrats, and welcome to the "losers bench"

~Kelli

I went to Mexico as well - Dr Ramos Kelly and paid $5300. I think it is now $5600 or so. Wonderful experience here. I am 48 and feel the best I have felt since my 20's! Surgery day was Jan 6, 2011 - today I am almost 8 month out and I am 9.6lbs from my final goal! Went from size 16 to an 8 and feel I have been blessed by having this surgery! If you have questions send me a message - I highly recommend Dr Kelly. I was well taken care of from the minute my plane landed in San Diego!

Best wishes!

I went to Michigan for surgery with Dr. Pleatmen. It was $11,000 and my preop testing was covered in my PCP office with my insurance. My parents were skeptical about Mexico and FL was way out of my budget. I had a great experience. Feel free to read about it in my blog linked below. Good luck... alot of us have had to deal with the dreaded exclusion.

My insurance also has a WLS exclusion, so I went to Dr Thomas Umbach in Las Vegas. Paid $10,400 and everything was great. I used miles for the flight and stayed at the Golden Nugget ($40 a night), rented a car for 4 days ($100) and my wife and I turned it into a little "vacation". And we stayed in America, which made my wife (and myself) a little more comfortable. If I had complications a week or so after surgery, how would my current insurance react to a procedure done in another country? Didn't want to take that risk. I would highly recommend him.

I paid 5500 to Dr. Ramos Kelly in Mexico which included everything including 2 nights in very nice hotel after surgery. We turned it into a vacation also. I even took my 13 yr old with me. My surgery was Wed. my other half was there also and he & my daughter walked to the beach which is near the hospital. I went to hotel on Fri and we were walking, sight seeing and shopping until Sunday when we left. I had a great experience as well.

Just wondering how much you payed as a self-pay?

Where did you have it done?

My mom is looking to get the sleeve and just found out her insurance has an EXCLUSION for all WLS. I'm sooo sad for her. So we are going to try to appeal but I'm not sure if that will work if there is an exclusion... If anyone has any input on this we'd really really appreciate it.

Thanks

I paid 14,200 for mine in San Antonio, where I live. I used my flexible benefits from work to cover part of it and I charged the rest on carecredit, interest fee for 18 months. So I have a payment for 1.5 years but its totally worth it to me... by the time I get to goal and have maintained for 6 months, I will have paid it off! My insurance only covered the sleeve if you had a bmi of 50 or greater and I didnt.

I, too, have an exclusion for WLS. There is no way to fight that through your carrier, since it is excluded by your employer. I am paying $9800 by Dr. Thomas Borland in Louisiana. That does not include the few pre-op tests that he requires, but insurance should cover those tests.

When will insurance companies and employers ever realize that it costs them more to pay for our obesity related diseases and health issues??? So sad! I hope everything works out for your mom!