I live in Chattanooga and want to have lap band.

I was curious as what the cost woud be without insurance,

I cannot be covered on my insurance plan.

I have signed up for a meeting at MemorialHospital in November but the anxiety is killing me! I was curious if there anyone else in Tennessee has an idea of the cost.

Nici

hey i was banded in nashville. my insurance paid but it was roughtly 24,000. it was done by dr morton 832-8186.

if you are doing self pay you may want to consider Mexico dr's! it is way cheaper and you get to go to mexico! the main thing people face is finding a dr to do fills (adjustments) my dr does fills for the mexico band BUT CALL AND CHECK to make sure you can find someone to adjust it before you have it done or you will have to go to mexico for adjustments!

there is lots of people on the boards who went to mexico for surgery! here is mexico dr info!

Dr. Rodriguez - Accuna - $6500 (does not include air, transportation into Mexico, or hotel) JoseBand.com This doctor is very popular with his patients. He operates our of a smaller hospital. You fly into San Antonio and then travel to Accuna. One of Dr. Rodriguez's former patients will transport you for a fee. While Dr. Rodriguez was the least expensive surgeon I found, the flight to San Antonio was more expensive for me than to San Diego, and I was worried about the distance from any state of the art medical facilities and the logistics of traveling the significant distance from San Antonio to Accuna. You cannot take a rented car across the border.

Dr. Rumbaut - Monterey - about $10000 LAP-BAND: Dr. R. Rumbaut Diaz

Roberto Rumbaut Diaz (Dr. Rumbaut) was one of the surgeons selected by Inamed for its pre-US clinical trials. The results of his work--and the work of others in Europe--were what allowed the LapBand to be introduced to the US. I know he has placed over 1500 LapBands--I think more than all the Tijuana surgeons combined. The April 2003 edition of Obesity Surgery contains an article of the experiences of over 100 of his surgery patients who received follow-up in the US. Patient communication with Doctor Rumbaut is no problem, as he attended junior high school in Akron, Ohio, is completely fluent in English, and he answers his cell phone himself. Last I checked, his fee was $7500 and the hospital fee was about $2500. If the patient prefers, Doctor Rumbaut will cover the his fees and hospital costs for a flat fee of $10,000. Dr. Rumbaut is one of Inamed's proctor surgeons, supervising the work of those performing their first few LapBand placements.

Dr. Sanchez - Monterey - about $10000 BeLighter.com Dr. Sanchez comes highly recommended and operates out of a nice hospital.

Dr. Kuri - Tijuana - $8500 (does not include air and hotel) LapBandSurgery.com You fly into San Diego, and he will transport you to and from Tijuana. The hotel he recommends is one block from the hospital and charges $65 per night when booked through Dr. Kuri. He works out of a small older hospital which some Americans find disconcerting, but standards of cleanliness are said to be on par with those we expect in America. I have heard no real complaints about Dr. Kuri, but I cannot speak to my own experience as my surgery is scheduled in one week. All fills are free for his patients, though there is a $50 fee for flouro.

Dr. Ortiz & Dr. Lopez - Tijuana - $10,000 (does not include air) obesitycontrolcenter.com These doctors practice together and operate out of a fancier hospital than Dr. Kuri. Their price includes transportation to and from the San Diego airport as well as hotel in what is described as a five star resort. I have not read any complaints about these doctors.

Dr. Joya - Puerto Valletta - $9000 (inclusive) - DrJoya.com I have rarely seen this doctor discussed, so you may want to check into how many bands he has actually placed. I have seen some discussion about dissatisfaction with one of his employees and what was actually included in the inclusive price, but no complaints about the doctor himself.

dr. Ponce de leon - Tijuana - obesity.com

Dr. Robles - Nogales - grshealthy@hotmail.com

Dr. Diaz - Mexico City

Dr. Aguirre - Ensenda - aaguirre@microsol.com.mx

Dr. Gonzalez - Tijuana

Dr. Verbonnen- Tijuana

Dr. Isidro Vera - Tijuana - jisidrovera@aol.com

Dr. Castillo - Irapuato - arturocardiel@yahoo.com.mx

Dr. de la Garza - Monterrey - ObesitySurgery.com.mx

Dr. Tirando -Mazatlan - itirado@mazatlan.com.mx

Hey thanks for the info. Whooo...that was a mouthful.

I'm going to talk to my primary physician Monday to get a "necessity letter" the surgen needs. THen I plan to check out some insurance companies that have covered the surgery for other people. I'll leave Blue Cross of Tennessee if I have to damnit! LOL! I'l try it this way first, but it's nice to know the alternatives. THanks!

Nici from Chatt-town

Oops ...forgot to ask you...how have you done since your surgery?! I am so excited! I have to wait to be told I am a candidate first. I will be crushed if I can't!

i copied and pasted that info from another site! i am doing well. just waiting to get to my 'sweet spot' as far as restriction. right now i can eat about 1 1/2 cups of food! i have a fill scheduled for 10-2!! i have 1.6 cc now in a 4.0 band.

good luck and keep us posted!

HI !

I LIVE IN CHATTANOOGA TOO. I AM GOING TO BE BAND BY DR. VANDERBILT AT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IN DECEMBER. I AM A SELF-PAY AND THE COST IS $18,500. BUT I KNOW IT WILL BE WORTH IT IN THE END.

GOOD LUCK,

CINDY

That's great Cindy! I'm going to my Primary Physician Wed. to get an approval letter for the surgery. I'm going to Memorial as well. I want to attend the orientationOct. 16th at the Choo Choo....will you be there? I'm going to try to find an insurance provider before I go through with the surgery. But in case something doesn't work out, I've planned to self-pay. I think about the loads of money I've thrown into useless diets and schemes over the last ten years and realize I've spent that much money already! What's $18, 000 more?! LOL

Hi Cindy.....just curious...

I have a friend of a friend who is getting banded at Vanderbilt as well. What was your decision to go outside of Chattanooga and to Nashville?? Is there something I don't know? LOL

Thanks

Nichole

No, I am going to Dr.Vanderbilt at Memorial Hospital. I wanted to stay local in case their is a problem and for fills.

Thanks,

Cindy

OOps.....sorry about the misunderstanding!!

They perform the surgery at Hamilton Medical Center in Dalton, GA also. I have my fills done there but I had surgery in Mexico. I am assuming the cost for cash pay is about the same. The doctors here are wonderful and I am glad they agreed to do my follow up care. I paid $6500 for my surgery in Mexico and about $500 for travel expenses. Best of luck with your insurance and surgery.

i want to have this done,does anyone know if blue cross insurance is covering this in tennessee,if so what do i need to do??

I live in Maryville, TN. my Dr. here is great. Good luck! I think my surgery was about 15K but that was because I got a discount because it was in my local area and insurance gets a discount with local Dr.s and hospitals. Sorry, I don't know about BCBS, I have Wausaw and it covers it.

I was living in Sevierville, TN when I got my band done. I had BC/BS of Tn and it did not cover it....but I didn't fight real hard.....I accepted it as I didn't have any co-morbidities.....

Dr Jaime Ponce in Chattanooga,TN is AWESOME--has done over 10,000 of the surgeries and was in on the trials....very professional and great!!! I did the actual surg in Dalton,GA as there is an outpt surg. center. It was $13,000 I believe w/ the first year of f/ups included..... www.lapbandinstitute.com

God Bless,

Melody

Banded 3/20/06 -74lbs :huggie:

Hi! I am in Maryville, TN also! I am having my surgery in Mexico on the 9th of Oct.! Can't wait, and glad to see a fellow bandster here in my neck of the woods. Cheryl

fellow maryville, tn area bandster!

I am getting close to surgery time! Does anybody have some last minute advice for me?