My name is Kendra, hi all! (:

I literally just decided to have the sleeve done. This is pretty exciting moment for me. I have thought/fantasized about having wls, but never really did anything about it. I guess it just always so risky. After doing some research about the different kinds of wls, it seems to be old hat for a lot of people. So, I figured if they can do it, so can I!!

But...I have no idea where to go from here.

I am 29 and I recently moved out of state for work and am living in Philadelphia. No family or friends in the state, so this should be interesting to say the least! First thing I did, last night at about 10pm (told you I literally just decided) was check with my insurance provider to see if they cover wls and voila! They cover 80%, which is a good thing, I think.

The next step- Find a doctor and tell him I want wls? Is it really that simple..and by simple, I mean probably one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do!

I know that once I find a doctor and we've talked about it, as well as all the options, and cons and pros, that everything will seem a little more on track..but for right now.. what happens next? How long is the process from this point until surgery? I've read about special diets that doctors put you on before the surgeries.. What’s all that about? I've also read that you have to talk with therapists afterward?

I have tried to narrow down pricing for the sleeve as well. I realize that a lot of factors are involved with a surgery like this, but can anyone give me actual pricing?? I've read that it can be anywhere from $10,000-$13,000, while another website said $17,000-$25,000!! WHAT THE HECK!! Clarification.. That’s what I need!! So, any help at all, would be wonderful!

I was self pay. My doc & the hospital take Care Credit. The doc was $3900 & the hospital which included OR, anasthesiologist was $7000. Luckily I was approved for $11k on care credit and that covered everything for my surgery. If my insurance would cover VGS, I would much rather have paid like a $3000 or so co-pay. But ultimately to me it was worth every penny.

My deductible counts towards my out-of-pocket maximum. My deductible is $1650.00 and out-of-pocket max is $2500.00. Once I reached my deductible, about 2 months ago, I now only have about $800 left on my out-of-pocket max...which is payed 85/15%.

I went the self pay route and it was 11' date='200 which included the hospital stay and my surgeon's fee, plus a years worth of follow ups with him. If you go with your insurance, you will likely have a lot of requirements to meet like diet documentation for so many months, and a BMI of a certain range for so many years. When you find a surgeon, their insurance specialist can do the insurance research for you, or you can just call the insurance company and ask them yourself. My surgeon is in Michigan, as am I and he does a lot of out of town patients because of his pricing. Good luck to you.[/quote']

Erin, where in Michigan?

Also, keep in mind that if you have healthcare flexible spending accounts, it can be used for all of these charges, even if you decide to go to Mexico.