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SELF PAYERS...please give me your insight

SHANA55

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kranky813    477

kranky813
Posted

@@SHANA55 sorry I accidentally hit Mrs O instead of you on my previous post... oops!

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SHANA55    11

SHANA55
Posted

@@Mrs_O I am a self payer in MN as well. Feel free to message me if you have questions but here is what I can tell you from my experience:

I researched several doctors and hospitals and found that Dr. Jonathan Gipson from Specialists in General Surgery was the best. He works out of Robbinsdale and Maple Grove and does surgery at Unity Hospital. My experience with him was FANTASTIC! He was very knowledgeable and spent time getting to know me and my situation.

My surgery costs were $18,000. How they do it is you have $5,500 down and can finance the rest through medcredit. We actually paid off a lot in the front. You have to pay the surgeon, the hospital, the anesthesiologist and the nurse anesthesiologist so there will be 4 bills that can be financed. The hospital is the one that makes you put $5,500 down because their cost is the most but it covers everything you will need for surgery and your stay at the hospital and the meds that you receive.

To be fair my husband would not let me go to Mexico for surgery but after my surgery we met a few people in person that did go to Mexico and if I did it all over again I would choose to go to Mexico for the cost. If I require plastics in the future I will certainly go to Mexico.

Let me know if you have any question - I am almost 4 months out.

Thanks!

Four months out??!! How exciting!! How are you doing? Feeling?

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SHANA55    11

SHANA55
Posted

@@SHANA55 sorry I accidentally hit Mrs O instead of you on my previous post... oops!

I assumed you were speaking to me. I definitely am going to Mexico and I am thinking I will go to Dr. Carlos Altamirano. He is very active online and on social media. I have also watched him do a couple sleeves on youtube and his Facebook. Or I've also heard great things about Dr. Ramos Kelly. But u can not beat $4500 all inclusive.

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SHANA55    11

SHANA55
Posted

@@Mrs_O I am a self payer in MN as well. Feel free to message me if you have questions but here is what I can tell you from my experience:

I researched several doctors and hospitals and found that Dr. Jonathan Gipson from Specialists in General Surgery was the best. He works out of Robbinsdale and Maple Grove and does surgery at Unity Hospital. My experience with him was FANTASTIC! He was very knowledgeable and spent time getting to know me and my situation.

My surgery costs were $18,000. How they do it is you have $5,500 down and can finance the rest through medcredit. We actually paid off a lot in the front. You have to pay the surgeon, the hospital, the anesthesiologist and the nurse anesthesiologist so there will be 4 bills that can be financed. The hospital is the one that makes you put $5,500 down because their cost is the most but it covers everything you will need for surgery and your stay at the hospital and the meds that you receive.

To be fair my husband would not let me go to Mexico for surgery but after my surgery we met a few people in person that did go to Mexico and if I did it all over again I would choose to go to Mexico for the cost. If I require plastics in the future I will certainly go to Mexico.

Let me know if you have any question - I am almost 4 months out.

Thanks!

Four months out??!! How exciting!! How are you doing? Feeling?

I definitely had to talk my husband into letting me go to Mexico. I don't even tell me I'm going to Mexico anymore bc they all have the same reaction...WHAT??! YOUR GOING TO DIE IN MEXICO. LOL

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kris10or    9

kris10or
Posted

@@SHANA55 sorry I accidentally hit Mrs O instead of you on my previous post... oops!

I assumed you were speaking to me. I definitely am going to Mexico and I am thinking I will go to Dr. CARLOS Altamirano. He is very active online and on social media. I have also watched him do a couple sleeves on youtube and his Facebook. Or I've also heard great things about Dr. Ramos Kelly. But u can not beat $4500 all inclusive.

Shana55 - of course go with whoever you feel best about. I'm paying $4600 for everything but airfare for Dr. Ramos Kelly. You'll find cheaper and you'll find more expensive, but finding who is right for YOU is what matters.

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SHANA55    11

SHANA55
Posted

Why did you need your gallbladder removed?

Morbid obesity increases the likelihood of gallstones/gallbladder problems. Extreme weight loss increases the likelihood of gallstones/gallbladder problems. Combine the two, and you have a high rate of gallbladder failure or complications within the first year of surgery. Removing the gallbladder pre-emptively is common practice, and can reduce the risk of additional surgeries and other problems.

OK yes, I've heard a little something about this. Thank you

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kranky813    477

kranky813
Posted

Shana55 I honestly feel amazing and look it too. It has been the best decision of my entire life. Let me know if you ever want to chat.

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conrad1    24

conrad1
Posted

Hi! i am also starting this process and am self pay. I am in Alabama and mine will cost me apron $12,000 out of pocket but that covers everything and includes complication insurance. My surgeon will be Dr Lee Schmitt at Alabama Weight Loss Surgery in Birmingham AL. I am financing my cost. upon looking into the process there was a link given to me by the doc for Prosper Healthcare Lending and it looks like it will cost me somewhere around $250 a month in payments. small price to pay to get my life back!!!

I did not personally consider Mexico because while my husband is supportive, i am very close with my mother and she is already having a hard time with this idea and i think the idea of Mexico, while safe, would push her over the edge! ;) check out LaurasVSGtube on youtube. i love her videos and she gives the info of her doc in TJ Mexico!

12,000 is a really good price. I am having mine in New Orleans Dec 29th for 13,700. I love LaurasVSGtube also and am constantly looking for her updates.

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kris10or    9

kris10or
Posted (edited)

Hey you guys. I am trying to find what all is included in dr Kelly's sleeve surgery. Would anyone be willing to send me a link that shows what all is included? Or be willing to fill me in?!

His surgery costs include pre op testing, all of the surgery and clinic associated fees, post op tests and two nights in the hospital. You do pay $109x2 for a night before in a hotel and a second night after your two hospital nights. They also pick you up from the airport and take you back and provide transportation for everything during your time there. You just have to pay your airfare and those two nights in the hotel. Every other thing is covered in the $4600.

Edited by kris10or

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JamieLogical    8,684

JamieLogical
Posted

What airport is it kris?

Every surgeon in Tijuana has patients fly into San Diego and provides a shuttle across the border. It's a very standard practice.

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kris10or    9

kris10or
Posted

What airport is it kris?

Every surgeon in Tijuana has patients fly into San Diego and provides a shuttle across the border. It's a very standard practice.

Correct - this is how they do it for anyone in that general area.

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SHANA55    11

SHANA55
Posted

Shana55 I honestly feel amazing and look it too. It has been the best decision of my entire life. Let me know if you ever want to chat.

I don't know you but I'm so happy and proud of you. I KNOW it took alot of guts and now you have took control of your life. I can't wait, a couple I'll be sleeved and doing the same! I'd love to chat, I'm LaShana

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Go To Topic Listing PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

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    • Eve411

      Eve411

      April Surgery
      Am I the only struggling to get weight down. I started with weight of 297 and now im 280 but seem to not lose more weight. My nutrtionist told me not to worry about the pounds because I might still be losing inches. However, I do not really see much of a difference is this happen to any of you, if so any tips?
      Thanks
      · 0 replies
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    • Clueless_girl

      Clueless_girl

      Well recovering from gallbladder removal was a lot like recovering from the modified duodenal switch surgery, twice in 4 months yay 🥳😭. I'm having to battle cravings for everything i shouldn't have, on top of trying to figure out what happens after i eat something. Sigh, let me fast forward a couple of months when everyday isn't a constant battle and i can function like a normal person again! 😞
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    • KeeWee

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      It's been 10 long years! Here is my VSG weight loss surgiversary update..
      https://www.ae1bmerchme.com/post/10-year-surgiversary-update-for-2024 
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    • Aunty Mamo

      Aunty Mamo

      Iʻm roughly 6 weeks post-op this morning and have begun to feel like a normal human, with a normal human body again. I started introducing solid foods and pill forms of medications/supplements a couple of weeks ago and it's really amazing to eat meals with my family again, despite the fact that my portions are so much smaller than theirs. 
      I live on the island of Oʻahu and spend a lot of time in the water- for exercise, for play,  and for spiritual & mental health. The day I had my month out appointment with my surgeon, I packed all my gear in my truck, anticipating his permission to get back in the ocean. The minute I walked out of that hospital I drove straight to the shore and got in that water. Hallelujah! My appointment was at 10 am. I didn't get home until after 5 pm. 
      I'm down 31 pounds since the day of surgery and 47 since my pre-op diet began, with that typical week long stall occurring at three weeks. I'm really starting to see some changes lately- some of my clothing is too big, some fits again. The most drastic changes I notice however are in my face. I've also noticed my endurance and flexibility increasing. I was really starting to be held up physically, and I'm so grateful that I'm seeing that turn around in such short order. 
      My general disposition lately is hopeful and motivated. The only thing that bugs me on a daily basis still is the way those supplements make my house smell. So stink! But I just bought a smell proof bag online that other people use to put their pot in. My house doesn't stink anymore. 
       
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    • BeanitoDiego

      BeanitoDiego

      Oh yeah, something I wanted to rant about, a billing dispute that cropped up 3 months ago.
      Surgery was in August of 2023. A bill shows up for over $7,000 in January. WTF? I asks myself. I know that I jumped through all of the insurance hoops and verified this and triple checked that, as did the surgeon's office. All was set, and I paid all of the known costs before surgery.
      A looong story short, is that an assistant surgeon that was in the process of accepting money from my insurance company touched me while I was under anesthesia. That is what the bill was for. But hey, guess what? Some federal legislation was enacted last year to help patients out when they cannot consent to being touched by someone out of their insurance network. These types of bills fall under something called, "surprise billing," and you don't have to put up with it.
      https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises
      I had to make a lot of phone calls to both the surgeon's office and the insurance company and explain my rights and what the maximum out of pocket costs were that I could be liable for. Also had to remind them that it isn't my place to be taking care of all of this and that I was going to escalate things if they could not play nice with one another.
      Quick ending is that I don't have to pay that $7,000+. Advocate, advocate, advocate for yourself no matter how long it takes and learn more about this law if you are ever hit with a surprise bill.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.

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