<img src="http://www.LapBandTalk.com/images/smilies/help.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Help" smilieid="256" class="inlineimg" />I just got my lap band on October 24th and am still not ingesting solids and yet am able to drink rather large quantities of fluids. I am afraid that when my first two weeks are up that I am going to be able to gorge.<br /> <br /> So, with that said: Does anyone know of a physician in Southwest Missouri: I.E. Branson, Forsyth, Springfield, Ozark, Nixa or surrounding areas who does fills for medicare recipients? Or who will let me make partial payments and/or lower payments?<img src="http://www.LapBandTalk.com/images/smilies/rain.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Rain" smilieid="173" class="inlineimg" /><img src="http://www.LapBandTalk.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Roll Eyes (Sarcastic)" smilieid="8" class="inlineimg" /><img src="http://www.LapBandTalk.com/images/smilies/confused.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Confused" smilieid="11" class="inlineimg" />

Can the lap band people please tell me what they pay for their fills? I am very curious to know what they cost from place to place.

Also, do some doctors have financing? Take medical insurance?

I pay $150 for fills, but this is without fluoroscope (the doc uses a live x-ray image to guide the needle to the site).

Flouro is definitely preferable but it adds about $100 to the cost. My surgeon doesn't offer fills under fluoro.

I don't think that Medicare pays for fills unless some are included in your "surgical package". My hospital included all services for the 6 months following surgery.

I'm from Ohio so I can't steer you to any local resources. Good luck.

Thanx

I am going to email them today.

I would assume that the Veteran's hospital will do it now that they have implemented the lap band surgery.

Try Dr Christopher Edwards at St John's in Springfield. 417-820-3800.

KJL

Dr Edwards office lady informed me that he does not see patients that he did band. I live thirty minutes away from him and have to drive or fly to Detroit, Mi (804 miles away from Forsyth, Missouri) to the Harper hospital.

It is a two day Grey hound trip so who knows, I might enjoy it. I always did like a good trip. Also, Harper does except Medicare for the fill appointments and I can stay at their International Hotel on the hospital Campus.

Actually the bus ride is only $90.00 round trip with my retired military card and there is a small co-payment. I guess that you can easily say that considering everything, I will still come out pretty well.:whoo::eyebrows::clap2::clap2:

You might try Little Rock, but Dr. Wellborn charges twice as much for patients that he did not do surgery on. ($200 vx. $100) Also, his staff (wife) can be very rude to you if he did not do your surgery.