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My insurance covers 80% of the surgery. I'm scratching my head as to how to come up with the rest. Does the hospital bill you for the rest or does the doctor expect it before the surgery? This has not been discussed during any of my visits to the doctor's office, and an up-front fee was not charged.

What has been your experience?

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Check to see what your Maximum out of pocket expenses are for the year. In my case, my insurance also pays 80%, but with my deductible and other expenses, I have already met my maximum, so I won't have to pay any more myself.

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Thanks, that's something that I didn't think about. My deductible is $500, my out of pocket is $3000, so now I'm down to $2500. With whatever else is yet to be billed, it might come down to $1500-$2000. Even that is going to be a stretch. What have others done to find the funds?

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I was self pay. I saved so I could pay cash. If it is a stretch you will just have to start saving now and have surgery when you can afford it. That is what I had to do.

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I was self pay. It takes a lot of sacrifice. Just save everywhere u can. We cut our tv even ... Anywhere u can... It's worth it :)

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Me three. I was a self-pay so I cut corners and saved everywhere I could for nearly a year. But it felt good not to have to worry about bills afterward.

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I went through insurance. I just threw the rest on my rewards credit card then payed it off right away. Doc needed his part upfront, and I need to pay the hospital the morning of surgery

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My insurance covers 80% of the surgery. I'm scratching my head as to how to come up with the rest. Does the hospital bill you for the rest or does the doctor expect it before the surgery? This has not been discussed during any of my visits to the doctor's office, and an up-front fee was not charged.

What has been your experience?

I know exactly what you are going through. I have to pay 20%, but no one seems to be able to tell me how much everything is going to cost. My deductable is 3,000 and my out of pocket max is 8,000. Sure I will be able to pay a couple of thousand, but if it’s up to the 8K then I'm not going to able to afford it right now. I wrote an email to the coordinator asking for a rough estimate but she is just pushing me to come in for an appointment. I don't want to start the process until I am exactly sure of what the costs are going to be. My BF had it done, she is 3 weeks out and she still doesn’t know how much it is going to cost her.

I almost wish they had a package. Haha

My company switched the insurance last year so I am completely new to this deductible and out of pocket max thing. So if I meet my deductible then all I have left is 5K of out of pocket max?? I thought it was all included together (11K).

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I just paid the hospital there share this morning, before doing my prep. My surgeon will get his next week. I tried to get this approved 8 years ago with Aetna, and ultimately was denied after 6 months of hoop jumping. This time, when I decided I wanted to try again, my husband and I decided to pay cash. I wish that I could have relied on my health insurance to cover most of it, but I am glad that we are in the position to cover the cost.

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I had insurance but it is the PCIP insurance through the govt, the pre existing condition plan . The dedictible was $2000 maximum out of pocket was $4000. I would call them ! I was expecting for them to bill me the 20% post op , and they did NOT , they billed me up front. After my deductible its 20% which came out to $3800 total w/ the dedct. I was only expecting to come up with $2000 which i did , I actually had a fundraiser to come up with the $2000 ( mine was a revision that i needed my band out NOW ) . They called me the DAY BEFORE surgery to tell me how much it would all be and I would nee the additional $1800 since i had $2000 already they let me make payments on the rest . $75 a month for 2 yrs ! UGH . So if your worried i would call them .

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Thanks' date=' that's something that I didn't think about. My deductible is 500, my out of pocket is 3000, so now I'm down to 2500. With whatever else is yet to be billed, it might come down to 1500-2000. Even that is going to be a stretch. What have others done to find the funds?[/quote']

My out of pocket expense is 3800....I've spent 574.00 the surgeon sent me to have an endoscopy on Monday it ate the remaking balance I only have to have $375 for surgery on Mon.....check with the patient advocate

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I agree check w your advocate because she said the charge is different exspecially if your s

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My coordinator said that it's a discounted price when your in network w them

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

      2. Doughgurl

        Thank you so much for your well wishes. I am hoping that everything goes easy for me as well. We don't eat out much as it is, so it wont be too bad in that department. Thankfully. Also, I hear you regarding your back and feet!! I'd like to add knees to the list. Killing me as we speak! I'm only 5' so the weight has to go. Too short to carry all this weight. Menopause really did a doosey on me. (😶lol) My daughter also lives in Houston. with her Husband and my 5 grand-littles. I grew up in Beaumont, so I know Houston well, I will be sure to keep in touch and update you on my journey. I may need some advice in the future, or just motivation. Thank You so much for reaching out, I was hoping to connect with someone in the community. I really appreciate it. 💜

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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