I just looked on my BCBS online account and it says that the bill for my surgery was $26,075! I thought it was like $12,000. I stayed 1 night in the hospital yes but geez. No wonder self payers go to Mexico!

P.S. Had my first follow-up and got to start Protein shakes today...YIPEEE It felt so good to get something with some Vitamins in it. Monday I can eat wet tuna, cottage cheese, string cheese, yogurt and decaf unsweet tea ----> all sugar and/or fat free of course. :drool: A lady that had surgery the same day I did already lost 22 lbs! Amazing this band is. :teeth_smile:

Angelica,

That's why I'm going to Juarez next month to get my band. Self-pay and it's affordable!

Wow, I cant imagine cost like this. I live in the middle east and medical is free here if you have residency and my surgery was free, all I had to pay for was the band itself. My surgeon is a bariatric specialist who is on conference in the US regularily and gave me his cell number if I need anything or have any questions both pre and post op. I had a private suite for my surgery and my cost was $2, 082 all inclusive. Any follow up appointments are free as well, and I think I will pay about $14 for each fill. I dont think I would have ever had the surgery had I been self pay living in the US. I had my first consultation with the surgeon on Dec 31, 2007 and was referred on to the dietician, general and psych the next week. I got the OK for surgery on January 18th and was booked for surgery on February 10th. It was great, no months and months of waiting and I must say the medical care was first class. I am so happy with my band and my surgeon. I am booked for a follow up on March 31st and hopefully getting my first fill :thumbup:

I wish we had free medical!!! It's rediculous that I have to go out of the country to be able afford this. I had to save for months and use every penny of my income tax return. Not to mention all the fills I will have to pay for. Even the travel is an added expense. I have to travel about an hour away to get to the closest fill doc. What's the point of even having health insurance???????

BCBS and I went round and round until I finally opted to self pay----and I spent just over $7K in Mexico, by the time I spent my out of pocket maximum, which they would have required, I was only out about 4 thousand bucks--was well worth not waiting another year-----but that is what they wanted me to do! Pay it myself, and continue to pay my monthly premiums!!!

Kat

I had the SAME issue w/BCBS - by month 4 I was done. I knew I would not qualify (by my policy) with a BMI of 36 and no comorbids - but my husband was a different story. He met their criteria, but they seem to change their guidelines along the way. Fed up and wanting it RIGHT now we went self pay. I had not done enough research to know that going to Mexico was an option for us & being in TX, we can get there pretty easy.

When DH's Open Enrollment came around this past NOV, I made sure to get out from BCBS...We had already had our surgery, and I was fed up w/how they handled us..So we went to a different carrier, one that would have approved us...BUT whats done is done.

my dr billed my insuranse over 80k, and got pd about 22k. i had 4 previos surguries last year, so my out-of-pocket maximum left was 480 bucks. alas, when my wife has it we will not have met the max, i expect to pay about 2k.

................& being in TX, we can get there pretty easy.

Where at in Tx? Also great job on your weight loss!!!!!

Where at in Tx? Also great job on your weight loss!!!!!

Thanks!!! I'm in the DFW area...

i paid 15,000 out of my own pocket and didnt even spend the night in the hospital!

I just got banded Thursday by Dr. Ortiz in Mexico. My entire experience was five stars!! Dr. Ortiz and his staff are excellent. I paid $7500.00: direct deposit to his account. This included everything from transportation from San Diego airport to hotel accomodations for my husband. The staff even had food delivered for my husband while we did the pre ops.

Kim

My Hospital bill was $23,000 and my portion after insurance was $1,000. Anesthesia was $94.00 out of pocket and My Surgeon was $150 after insurance. I'm so glad that my insurance covered this. Out of pocket, I'm probably at $4,000 to $5,000.00 for the program, testing, hospital and associated costs. But it was well worth it.

My hospital billed my insurance just under $50k. The insurance discounted it down to around $18k, and I was responsible for about $8k, overall.