Well I went to my primary doctor today to discuss the lapband, it was pretty simple, he came in and said you want the lapband, i said yup, he said okay well we'll hook you up with a doctor in st. augustine, florida named Marena as the last name... Bariatric Surgeon Profile - Robert T. Marema M.D. thats the man that will do the deed.

All my doctor said was that most insurance companys sometimes request the 6 month diet, and that I may have to do it so we'll go ahead and start it and if we dont then we dont, but if we do we'll have a heads up on it, he said just try to find a diet that i like but i can switch around if i want to, just to keep a notepad handy to write down stuff, and I have to come in once a month for weight checks....sooo we'll see

I have to call Dr. Marena to schedual the seminar, and i'll go from there I hope to get to one next week if he is having it so i can get a move on this, i know it probably wont happen right away which is fine I am in the middle of moving, and doing this diet will help me save up money for my co-payment (20%)...BTW How much did others have to pay for their 20% co-payment? just curious....ahh wish me luck in my endevors...

Can't help you with the cost issue, I was self pay----but wanted to congratulate you on taking the first step!!! That is usually the hardest---now you have the momentum to move forward!!!

Good Luck to you, and welcome to LBT----great place to be as you work your way through the maze to become banded!!

Kat

Be very careful about asking questions when you go for your app't with Dr. Marema. US Bariatrics does take insurance but a large percentage of the time you pay the $5000 surgeon fee up front and then get reimbursed whatever your insurance allows for the dr. You also have to go to their psychologist and that fee is $500 again at the time of service - then you get reimbursed whatever the insurance company will allow. I found all this out the hard way. I had my lapband done on June 10 and am so glad I did it even though it cost me a lot more than I thought it would.

Anne

Be very careful about asking questions when you go for your app't with Dr. Marema. US Bariatrics does take insurance but a large percentage of the time you pay the $5000 surgeon fee up front and then get reimbursed whatever your insurance allows for the dr. You also have to go to their psychologist and that fee is $500 again at the time of service - then you get reimbursed whatever the insurance company will allow. I found all this out the hard way. I had my lapband done on June 10 and am so glad I did it even though it cost me a lot more than I thought it would.

Anne

wow i wasnt aware of that,i may have to ask my primary to reffer me somewhere else because i dont have the funds to do so...i'm still tinkering in my head on how i'm going to do the co-payment...

Where do you live? Dr. Kim in Orlando has recently left US Bariatric and is practicing with Florida Hospital Celebration. Your cost share should be considerably lower. He did my band and he is excellent. I just wish I could have waited for him to be on his own since I then would not have had to put out $5500 up front and be reimbursed for less than half.

Anne

oh i live in this really small city palatka, orlando is like 2 1/2 hours away, i'm kinda using that as a last resort but if i had to go to orlando then i will