Hi there! It is unfortunate that my insurance will not pay for the LapBand. My husband can get onto Aetna which I think it will pay 30% of the surgery, however, here in Oregon, the cost is $19,500. Does anyone know of anything on the West Coast that may be cheaper, like Washington, Idaho, California???:help:

Even with your insurance paying 30% of the surgery, it would be cheaper for you to go to mexico. Mexico is west coast. :-)

Thanks for the info Kirsten. Does anyone have info on Dr. Ortiz and his office in Mexico?

I was just down at Dr. Ortiz's office last weekend. I had a wonderful experience there and highly recommend them. I won't repeat it here, but feel free to PM me for details. I flew in to San Diego, where a driver picked me up and took me directly to the clinic (and then on to the gorgeous hotel). His fee is $8500 for everything but airfare and they REALLY take good care of their patients. The website is www.obesitycontrolcenter.com I live in Idaho and the docs here are in the $20K range, which was out of the question for me. I had my surgery in April and it is the best thing I have ever done for myself.

Penny

Banded 4/5/06

Dr. Ortiz, TJ, Mexico

180+/130/110ish

I was also banded by Dr. Ortiz in August. I had a wonderful experience and the care was much better than I've ever recieved by a Dr. here. You can PM me for more details if you would like.

Just to give you another option - look into Dr. Rumbaut as well. His website is http://www.gastricband.com/. I had a wonderful experience will him and I haven't heard anything negative about him. He even has a lap-band!!

Good luck on your decision.

I'll recommend dr. Rumbaut in Mexico. Or Dr. Suarez in Costa Rica about $10,000 Top notch Hospital and a lot of experience.

http://www.lapbandrockies.com/

Denver. $9950

There are two doctors that do Lap-Band in Boise, $19.500, Drs Cahan and Anderson - they work together. (208) 706-5285

Another in Blackfoot/Idaho Falls, not sure but approx $11,000, Dr Avila, (208)782-3955. Good reputation on this forum.

There is also a person attempting to get approval for fills in Pocatello, Cyndi Rice - fillusa. Not sure of her status but we be nice if she would schedule appointments in Boise once or twice a month to do fills here. Looks like there are many who went elswhere due to cost and need fills.

I also have a vote for Dr. Rumbaut

Check with Doctor McKeen in San Jose, CA. I believe he is less. He does surgeries here in San Jose and in Utah. Good luck.

I'm schedule in jan with Dr. Kelly in Mexico, the cost it's 8,500 and the dr have a lot of experience and references, the page is obesitybusters.com

I was banded by my uncly in TJ, Mexico. Not just because he is my uncle but it was great. You stay there one night and can come home the next day. Prices are very reasonable!

Dr. Valdovinos

323-209-7566

Idaho Falls,Idaho has the New U Clinic. 208-529-7373. With everything I paid a little under 12,000. That was the pysc evaluation and dietician, exercise physiologist and fills for a year. Good Luck on finding a lap band doc. Deanna

Dr. Tersingni in Coos Bay Oregon charges 10,000. How much

would she save? The surgery comes with 3 fills.

Hi, I went to Dr. Kirshenbaum in Denver at a complete cost of $9,500 not including flight and hotel, I would highly recommend him, everything was top notch. A post before me mentioned his website. He includes 3 months of fills free and only charges $15.00 to cover the cost of the needle for life. Some people have to pay alot for local fills, so add a flight at a good price and it could balance out. Sunnysea