I am so confused now. I getting ready to give this whole lapband thing up and go back on diet pills. I have my first appointment with the surg on Nov 2. The nurse told me the first fee is $100. I was ok with that until I read my papers from the seminar about the total surgon fee is $4000! What Iam confused about is I thought she told me the insurance approved my surgery but I would have to go to a psyc dr first. Also the papers stated that the surgons aren't in any of the insurance networks so it seems to me that Iam going to have to pay $4000 upfront before the insurance kicks in and I just don't have that kind of money. Me and my husband just bought our first home last week and it needs alot of work. I was really looking forward having the lap band done but I don't see it in my future. Iam going to call the Dr office Monday and talk to them and if what Iam thinking is true then goodby lapband hello diet pills :faint: Is there anyone out there from Louisville Ky and seeing Dr Olsofka or anyone of them in that office? Its the weekend now and I'll have to wait.

Hello and welcome,

I live in Western Kentucky and my insurance would not cover anything, they won't even pay for fills so I've been on my own. I've been out about 15,000.00 so far and I had a fill Thursday and had to stay over so a fill counting the drive to Cinci, hotel, eats and the fill usually costs me 500.00 and I've been having one a month. So, if insurance will pay you will be so much better off. I wish you luck. I have bc/bs Anthem and pay 619.00 per month and I might as well not even have insurance. They are worthless. I have the best policy money can buy and I'm just wasting our money. Can you go to Dr. Curry? He's in Cinci and I think he is the best. I just seen his Thursday, had no appt. and they worked me in. They are the best and I wished you would check into him if at all possible. Lots of people on here use him and everyone loves him. I had my surgery in Mexico but Dr. Curry does my fills and he would do you a wonderful job surgery wise.

I would call the insurance company and ask them to clarify whats going on...Seems like if they are approving it then you shouldnt be out of pocket all of that money...If they are saying its because of the drs not being on their plan have them recommend someone that is on the plan that they will pay for...I have United Health Care and the only out of pocket expense I have had to pay was the 200 copay for the surgery and 200 for his assistant (they said it wasnt usually covered) and since then I have had 2 fills and both have been free...But I heard that my insurance only covers the price of the fills for the first year then its all on me, so I am going to try hard to get everything done that I need done before the end of the year for me...But I would for sure call the insurance company and get them to tell you exactly whats going on

I agree with Avilla, call and find someone that is in network. You can get a list at www.lap-band.com and then call and compare them to your insurance carriers list. If you have approval, it will usually transfer to another doctor no problem. You can ask this at the same time you are requesting an in network doc. ~Mandy

Thanks for the advise, I needed it! I will call the dr, insurance co, and go onto lap-band.com and find out everything tomorrow. I didn't think to call the insurance. I'll keep yall posted. I have my heart set on this surgery and I know everything will work out for the best. Its not the insurance who is charging me its the dr because they aren't in any of the insurance networks. Thanks Again

Carmille

Camille i have to pay $500 to the hospital before the doctors does the surgery. I was talking to the doc about that and she said that it is not her charging it and she thinks it is mean. the hospital says its for covering things that insurance don't cover like the cost of the paphlets and the nut. That really bugs me since my insurance does cover the nut. And since when does paper work=$500! All the area hospitals charge the same rate, so i feel your pain.

I know that some centers here in Chicago charge a support fee of up to $2500. When I told the one center that I lived too far away to attend any of the meeting, the coordinator told me that was the doctors way of making up for the insurance writeoffs. Sucks, but that is how some doctors work. You should have a maximum out of pocket even for out of network providers. Let us know what the Ins company says. ~Mandy

Hey Yall!

I called the Dr and insurance today. All the surgeons in my area are covered in my network but the dr I chose claims they don't accept out of network insurance for their phy fee of $4000. I don't understand what the hell that means. They accept the payment from the insurance for the surgery but you have to come out of pocket with $4000. The nurse there did advise me to call my insurance co, which that didn't help because they already told me what I already knew and they acted like dumb asses! So I broke down and canciled my appointment and call another dr here in Kentucky named Dr Mark Shina that office was the only one who would give me a straight anwser so I start all over again with the seminar but I believe they do everything the same day so I'll be there for 3-4 hrs. Basicly they don't charge a out of pocket fee the only thing you have to pay is the insurance co-pay $10 vs $4000 I'll take the co-pay! I did call some other dr's as well but they didn't want to give me any of that info without going to a semiar (which I don't care but hell, why not answer the simple question). I feel better knowing that I did find another dr and I didn't waist $100(of what I don't have) for the other dr and hopefully everything will work out for the best. I just want to thank yall for the support and advise and will keep yall posted. The seminar is Nov 7. Does any of yall see Dr.Shina? If so why is the seminar so long? Will I be able to see him the same day? Thanks

~Carmille

Keep us posted. I am glad that you found a doctor that is in network. If the first doctor is also in network I would let the ins company know about his $4000 "fee" and that he is claiming he is not in network. That sounds like insurance fraud to me. ~Mandy