Anyone heard of this or had any experience with it? My insurance will not cover any complications if I am self-pay. This is the only thing keeping me from scheduling surgery.

Anyone heard of this or had any experience with it? My insurance will not cover any complications if I am self-pay. This is the only thing keeping me from scheduling surgery.

This is a main concern of mine as well; may I ask what insurance you have? I have Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota. I do not know if mine insurance and or all insurance do not cover complications as well. My thought process however as dumb as this may sounds is... I'm going to have the surgery regardless because I deserve to have a health, happy and long life and no one or anything is going to stop me. I'm debating having my gallbladder removed as well "just in case there is a future complication" and lots of prayers, LOTS OF PRAYERS. Some factors I have considered to think this way: I have a healthy history besides being fat, family history (good), my age (35) still young, amount of weight I have to or want to lose ("ONLY" 100 - 125 pounds) lol lol lol.

I just read what I wrote UNAWAYNE! What a crock of crap! Am I crazy or just trying to think positive?

Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! Yup still doing it! VSG here I come!

Global Protective Solutions has an insurance you can take out that covers complications if your out of the countrty hospital is on their approved list (you cannot get coverage if you have surgery in the U.S.). Expensive though. $1160 for $20,000 of complications coverage (you can take out less coverage too). Seven Corner's Global Protection Policy offers a WAY better package, but is only available for JRC accredited hospitals.

If you are self pay I would suggest getting the BEST surgeon your money can buy (either in the U.S or in Mexico, matters not....both places have good and bad doctors). There are some EXCELLENT surgeons in Mexico with almost non-existent complication rates. Research your options.

Also remember many complications may very well be covered depending on how your treatment back home is coded. Blood clots and dehydration for example would be hard to prove are due to the surgery alone and in all likelihood would be covered. Leaks however would definitely not be covered. Because of this, find a surgeon with an as close to 0% leak rate as you can find (and don't take the dr's word for it....search all the forums etc). I know my surgeon has only had 1 leak in a virgin sleeve, and that was early in his career. Other surgeons have been equally successful.

Well let me just say if you have a leak 20k of complications insurance is NOTHING, I've been in the Hopsital 15 days, had an additional surgery & the bills from my "complications" will be well over 100k. I would never ever ever ever have this surgery if you couldn't be sure complications were covered because YOU NEVER KNOW. I had zero co-morbs, passed my 24 leak test, and still have a leak.

Well let me just say if you have a leak 20k of complications insurance is NOTHING, I've been in the Hopsital 15 days, had an additional surgery & the bills from my "complications" will be well over 100k. I would never ever ever ever have this surgery if you couldn't be sure complications were covered because YOU NEVER KNOW. I had zero co-morbs, passed my 24 leak test, and still have a leak.

And this is why it is SO important to research your surgeon well (not saying your surgeon is not a good one because stuff does happen even to the good surgeons).

Also, while your bills are over $100K, a self-pay patient would not be billed as much.

I hope you get better soon. Leaks suck big time. ♥

Well let me just say if you have a leak 20k of complications insurance is NOTHING, I've been in the Hopsital 15 days, had an additional surgery & the bills from my "complications" will be well over 100k. I would never ever ever ever have this surgery if you couldn't be sure complications were covered because YOU NEVER KNOW. I had zero co-morbs, passed my 24 leak test, and still have a leak.

Probly my biggest worry nightmare...I hope you're better soon!

And this is why it is SO important to research your surgeon well (not saying your surgeon is not a good one because stuff does happen even to the good surgeons).

Also, while your bills are over $100K, a self-pay patient would not be billed as much.

I hope you get better soon. Leaks suck big time. ♥

Well you would get charged the same as cash pay because being in the hospital that long at 5k a night is just that expensive when you add in multiple CT's, a 2nd surgery....

Also I'm the first leak my surgeon has ever had.

I was self pay and the Dr office. Offered bliss ins for complications it was like 1500 I regretted not getting I spent 3 no in hospital two add surgeries and feeding tube wound vac for four months over 600,000 in Med bills ins wasn't going to pay finally they did but with lots of hassles wish I would of bought the ins so ask about iy

With obesity being declared a disease now, that makes me wonder if we wouldn't have legal recourse for our insurance companies not covering the surgery and/or complications.

This is a main concern of mine as well; may I ask what insurance you have? I have Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota. I do not know if mine insurance and or all insurance do not cover complications as well. My thought process however as dumb as this may sounds is... I'm going to have the surgery regardless because I deserve to have a health' date=' happy and long life and no one or anything is going to stop me. I'm debating having my gallbladder removed as well "just in case there is a future complication" and lots of prayers, LOTS OF PRAYERS. Some factors I have considered to think this way: I have a healthy history besides being fat, family history (good), my age (35) still young, amount of weight I have to or want to lose ("ONLY" 100 - 125 pounds) lol lol lol.

I just read what I wrote UNAWAYNE! What a crock of crap! Am I crazy or just trying to think positive?

Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! Yup still doing it! VSG here I come![/quote']

Do you live in ND now?

I was self pay and the Dr office. Offered bliss ins for complications it was like 1500 I regretted not getting I spent 3 no in hospital two add surgeries and feeding tube wound vac for four months over 600,000 in Med bills ins wasn't going to pay finally they did but with lots of hassles wish I would of bought the ins so ask about iy

Did you ever find out where you doctor disappeared off to? Strange how he just quit and picked up and left...

Do you live in ND now?

Yes I do live in North Dakota currently.

Yes I do live in North Dakota currently.

I live in minot, I'll be having my surgery with Brandon Helbling at St alexius . Are you nearby?

*ROSANA* I have insurance with the state of Texas. They will cover the surgery only if I have monthly visits for 12 months with my physician, a psych consult, a few other restrictions I can't remember right now, plus, I have to pay $5000 up front and the insurance will only cover $13000 of any expense incurred. The policy also states it will not cover any complications from a self-pay procedure. With my co-morbidities, I really need this done sooner than that. I heard of complication insurance on a forum so I've been looking into it.

*ROSANA* I have insurance with the state of Texas. They will cover the surgery only if I have monthly visits for 12 months with my physician, a psych consult, a few other restrictions I can't remember right now, plus, I have to pay $5000 up front and the insurance will only cover $13000 of any expense incurred. The policy also states it will not cover any complications from a self-pay procedure. With my co-morbidities, I really need this done sooner than that. I heard of complication insurance on a forum so I've been looking into it.

Which insurance would that be (the complication insurance one)

*ROSANA*, sorry, I don't think I was clear. I have medical insurance with the state. I am looking into getting the complication insurance if it's possible. Since my medical insurance won't cover and complications, I need something to cover that. I read on a forum about it and that was the first I had ever heard about it.