i've done oodles and oodles of research on this whole LB thing, and i've gotten every single answer i could possibly get - except for the out-of-pocket cost of this whole procedure if you're not filing an insurance claim. my insurance won't cover it, and i've accepted that. my husband is willing to help me get the band anyways - bless him! but i have no idea how much this is going to cost me???

does anyone in the same boat as i am have any feedback? i just want to know what the procedure costs on average, not including the fills. i already know those are between $50-$200 without insurance.

thanks a bunch :wink2:

oops ignore this one. Double post.

With NO insurance I paid (with all the pretest including) almost 15,000. Plus 150 for fills when I go.

Some are more some are less.

This is the price for the United states in north louisiana.

l would call your surgeons office..l would expect the price to vary across the states...might even be cheaper to head to Mexico...Good luck...

With NO insurance I paid (with all the pretest including) almost 15,000. Plus 150 for fills when I go.

Some are more some are less.

This is the price for the United states in north louisiana.

I kinda thought that's where it would be. I know that MX is between $6k and $8k, so I figured the US would be double that. Another question if I may? Did your doctor have some sort of financing available, or did you have to pay cash and/or use a credit card?

Thanks!

I kinda thought that's where it would be. I know that MX is between $6k and $8k, so I figured the US would be double that. Another question if I may? Did your doctor have some sort of financing available, or did you have to pay cash and/or use a credit card?

Thanks!

They do have finance companies they work with, but I really can't help you there because I borrowed from family.

I was self-pay and used the most experienced and respected lab band surgeon in Texas (maybe in the US). Dr. Spivak is one of the original surgeons who worked with the FDA to get lap band approved for USA. Anyway, my total cost was $12,900 including 1 year of full follow-up, with as much adjustments/fills as needed. Even within the city of Houston, this cost varies so I suggest you do your research fully and not let the cost be the deciding factor on which doctor you choose. Having the right doctor with the right follow up care is very important.

I was self pay and paid 13,500 for everything including one year follow up with all the fills/unfills needed. This included talking with an exercise physiologist and the dietitian everytime I went for a fill/unfill. I am past my one year, and now I will pay 100 for a fill. Nothing for an unfill. I actually got a better deal than most because right about the time my year was up, I got too tight and got really bad acid reflux and had to have a complete unfill. They have not charged me at all for the four months now that I am past my year mark to get me back to restriction.

It all depends on where you live and where you want to get your surgery done at.

thanks so much for all the great advice. now i know that i need to call the actual doctors to find out what they offer. sounds like i need to go for a doctor that offers one year of free fills! i imagine most of them would offer that though.

i'll post in the NC section of this board and find out what the local people say about the doctors and their non-insurance costs.

keep the advice coming :wink2: and thanks again :wink:

so the local doctor that i've heard great things about actually just sent me an email reply telling me how much the total cost would be for self-pay. check it out:

Enrollment fee $400.00

Surgeon fee $4,000.00

1st year Band Adjustments $1,000.00

Hospital fee $16,500.00

Anesthesia $1,600.00

Total: $23,500.00

:wink2:

$175-Pyschologist

$225-Nutritionist

$16,500-Cash Pay for Surgery and one year follow-up with free fills

$1200-I financed a portion of it with CareCredit, and my doc charged me an extra amount for this service)

Plus, I must have spent almost $300 on protein powders, vitamins, a few initial doctor visits (I had to get a cardiology consult and some followup there), and some miscellaneous items.

___________________________________________

$18,400 and worth every penny.....say hello to my new car!

$175-Pyschologist

$225-Nutritionist

$16,500-Cash Pay for Surgery and one year follow-up with free fills

$1200-I financed a portion of it with CareCredit, and my doc charged me an extra amount for this service)

Plus, I must have spent almost $300 on Protein powders, Vitamins, a few initial doctor visits (I had to get a cardiology consult and some followup there), and some miscellaneous items.

___________________________________________

$18,400 and worth every penny.....say hello to my new car!

did i read your signature right? you got your band 8 days ago and have already lost 26lbs???? :wink::wink2:

I don't know where you live, but that sounds like an awful lot for lapbanding. I thought my fee was big. Normally, most of those charges are lumped together. However, if you feel this is the best doc in your area and you like and trust him, I say go for it if you can. My doc is a GREAT surgeon. I just would NOT go with a lapband doctor who ONLY does lapbands. Mine does gallbladders, hernias, etc...you know, many different abdominal type surgeries. Plus he has trained with the best lapband surgeons. I think that one of the best things you can do is to go to the doc's support and talk with some of the others who had him. Good luck!

Yeah, $23K sounds awful high. Mine was $17,500 with everything (office visits, psych, nutritionist, surgeon, hospital & anethesia). Where are you from jmegirl?

I just got my bill and i have insurance but the bill was 31,000 dollars for everything I am hoping and praying my protion wont be to much =)) But it is well worth it at least I am on my way to being healthy!! :wink2:

Go with the doctor with the best reputation and with whom you feel most comfortable. In the Houston metro area, there are many doctors, many WLS centers, etc. and prices vary greatly. I was just fortunate that the doctor I was most impressed with because of his credentials (and he trained most of the lap band surgeons in Houston) was also one of the most reasonably priced with the best follow up care.