Hi I was wondering if anyone out there was self pay and how much it cost you? I'm trying to get my insurance to go thru but just wanted to know a round about cost of different dr's? Thanks!

Hi Spinner,

A lot of people have insurance just the insurance don't cover it hence the self pay and you have to look for bargains

Yes, I am aware that many patients don't have insurance coverage for this proceedure. My point was simply that there is a huge variation in costs depending on the surgeon, hospital, area of the country, etc. I give all you self-payers huge props!! :glare:

I did salf-pay in central California and its $16,500. I probably could have found it cheaper but I wanted to be at home and have a surgeon who was right around the corner if I needed anything.

Good luck!

I was denied today by my insurance and in the process of appealing, but am researching plan c --- paying for it myself. My question is while you can get packages that include so much after care, what if you have complications further down the line? Will insurance refuse to pay for anything related to the lap band surgery?

Gerbera - I have the same concerns. First off, I'm with Kaiser, so its different than just a regular "pay your money and go anywehre you want" plan. Kaiser didn't deny me, they just don't do lapband and I wasn't a candidate for gastric bypass. I asked the director of the bariatrics program, who is a friend, the same question. She said that if you are having complications, they have to cover it. But then I started thinking, if Kaiser doesn't do lapbands,then do I want one of their doctors or surgeons who know nothing about lapband to try and deal with any serious complications. I have an appointment with my surgeon next week and I'm going to ask him his opinion. I'll let you know.

That is one of the reasons I am getting a revision surgery from band to sleeve. Once I started having band complications, it really got expensive. My insurance pays nothing band related.

Once you get a sleeve, you are done. There are no problems with restriction, no fills, no unfills. You have restriction immediately after surgery and you keep it the rest of your life. The part of the stomach that you have is not stretchy so it doesn't stretch out like it does with gastric bypass.

I am very excited to get this over with and going back to eating small portions of anything I want!

My doctor is in Little Rock, AR but had surgery in Hope, AR. My cost was Dr. fee 4500.00 Hospital 10,125.00 and Anesthesia 1500.00