Could anyone give me advice about getting financed for Lap Band? Has anyone gotten financed? Is it hard, are there certain steps I should follow? Any advice would be great. Thanks.

I was self pay, found a great surgeon, and used my overdraft protection/line of credit. It was only $7,000 for everything.

You can use your HELOC, line of credit, or even request a line of credit from your credit union...or a loan. Don't pay 15k for the surgery at a high interest rate or your surgery will end up over 20k...that's not wise.

Go with a good surgeon who doesn't rob the pocketbook and then get a good rate.

I used a Capital One Health loan for 1/2 of the cost and a credit card with a low interest special for the other half.

I used Capital One also and it was real easy. Online application was approved within minutes. If your doctor is already registered with them it is very simple to apply.

I just applied through Capital One. I needed a total of $13,000 and since my credit is good, I got a good rate to pay over 48 months, although I know I will be done sooner.

My doctor was not registered with them and between the doctor's office, and the Capital One poeple who have been trying to sell their services to my surgeon's office, it has been a nightmare for me and the office. I am getting banded on 10/29 and since Cigna is taking their sweet time in making a decision, I decided I was not gonna let them come in the way of me changing my life.

If Cigna approves me, then I will just pay back Capital One, if they don't, I will be glad I went ahead with the self pay.

Good luck to you...being banded is turning out to be the bravest thing I have ever ventured out to do.

I got a loan from Medicredit.com My credit is ok but i have a less than 2 yr old bankruptcy on there that is hendering it . They loaned me $8K on the $12K I needed. Parents gave me the other $4 I needed.

The medicredit loan was easy , the doc , if not on their list just bascically has to agree to take their check. Which mine did. If i pay back the loan in the first yr they will refund any interest I paid.

Good luck HTH

Mindy

Thank you all so much for your advice. I will be graduating from college in December with my teaching degree. I do not want to wait months for insurance to approve, especially if I can't obtain a job right away. So I think financing is the right thing to do. Thank you so much, I really appreciate you taking the time to respond.