I originally thought my surgery was going to cost me $2000. I was thrilled about that. Then my insurance figured out that they mis-quoted me and told me it would be $3,750. I was shocked. It was like someone punched me in the gut repeatedly. But I found a solution... and I wouldn't be able to get the money until January. Fine. Surgery is scheduled for January. I got my 2009 insurance benefits package in the mail yesterday.... my out of pocket is now $4,750. I was pissed all night last night. I'm still fuming. I mean, I'm glad I have insurance, but I am really pissed at my employer. I've been with this company for five years and have worked my ass off.... and this is what I get? A higher premium and more expenses?

I will have the amount necessary, but it'll basically wipe me out.

So now I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place..... go broke to have surgery.... or don't have surgery and struggle with my health for the rest of my life?

I think I'll go broke... but damn this is a lot to deal with.

There are places that have low interest medical loans. I did it on line and got mine in a day. I don't remember off hand who I went through, but I do know that Capital One has medical loans. At least you can spread out the payments. My insurance ended up paying my surgeon more than they told him, so I didn't have to pay as much as I thought, so I paid mine off in three months.

If at all possible can you schedule the surgery before the new benefits come into effect and take out a loan for the amount?

I've applied for carecredit and capital 1... both denied because my credit score is like 640 and they want somewhere like 675++++++. =( I don't think I'd have much success applying for a personal bank loan either, but I'm considering it.

If at all possible can you schedule the surgery before the new benefits come into effect and take out a loan for the amount?

Think about all of us that have no bariatric coverage at all! There are a lot of us ou there that have charged $13,000 on credit and that sucks. The great thing I can say is I am down 50 pounds and look and feel sooo much better! I will be paying this debt off dfor a long time but I LOVE MY BAND!

Yup,

I will be paying my 12,900 +plus interest off for a long time at $300 per month.

All in all, a $4,700 sounds pretty good.

Sorry to not share in your pain.

4,700 sounds like a good deal to me.. I paid 16,000. But my thought is "CAN YOU PUT A PRICE ON HEALTH?" I used half savings and then put the rest on a 3.9 credit card. paying it off monthly. The intrest paid is sooo worth it... 111 pounds lost so far.

my insurance BC Anthem... told me they would pay 80% they ended up paying nearly all of it.. In fact the surgeon got so much that they wrote off the rest... But the receptionist told me to talk to them before the surgery which I did and they agreed to accept what ever the insurance paid as pif

My insurance wouldn't cover my surgery $17,500 gone. Would have loved only $5,000. There are alot of us out there that have worked for companies longer than 5 yrs and also work our butts off, but unfortunately our employers didn't offer insurance that would cover this proceedure. I feel your pain, but thank your lucky stars that you were offered an insurance that will pay for any of it. Some is always better than none. Look on the bright side. During this process you are going to be challenged regularly. Looking for a bright side is going to be necessary to get you through. Good Luck and Congratulations on your upcoming banding.

kaytiebugs; I would be thrilled to pay that..I got a loan for 17,000.00..Now that sucks, but I'm SOOO worth it!My insurance is good, but I have no health problems so to them I was NOT sick enough..Don't want to waste my time appealing something that will never come..My surgery date is December 19th!!!:thumbup:

I'm afraid I have to jump on the bandwagon on this one -- though I'll avoid the soapbox (enough cliches yet?).

In my opinion, I work as though the Emancipation Proclamation was never signed, but that doesn't change the fact that my insurance doesn't offer coverage for any type of weight loss program or surgery. Yep, there are specific exclusions, so you can forget about working the system on this one. I think it is shortsighted and wrong. It would be much better, I believe, to help employees address this issue than to treat the co-morbidities of obesity and the lost productivity that comes along with them. Despite that, I am reaching deep into my funds to pay $10,000 for this surgery. When thinking through it, I thought about the ways that I have spent $10K unnecessarily -- I could have bought a car that was $10K cheaper, I could have a house $10K cheaper, I could cut out some vacations/purchasing "stuff"/eating out. In other words, the money (at least in my case) is there, if I choose to use it in this way.

I totally understand your frustration. It really DOES suck and seem wrong. But I think you will appreciate that you have made the investment in yourself. And unlike a house that is $10K more expensive than you need, it will change your life.

All the best to you as you move forward on this journey. :thumbup:

Hmm.. I understand why your upset but my suggestion is trying looking at it a different way.. I have insurance but it would only cover the bypas (go figure) and it would not cover the lapband.. my hubby and I thought the risk was to high for the bypass.. well I paid $18,500 out of pocket to have the lapband. I looked at it this way.. I spent 25 grand on my last car and it lasted me only 8 years... 18,500 was a bargain for my life and happiness. I would pay it again in a heartbeat if something happened to my band. This I know has gained me at least 10 years to my life. I would get a second job to help cover it. It is all in the perspective you approach it with. We figured out how much we save on food and restaurants and bar bills by me having the band and in 5 and 1/2 years it will have paid for itself.. Good luck and I promise this will be the best money you have ever ever ever spent!

I originally thought my surgery was going to cost me $2000. I was thrilled about that. Then my insurance figured out that they mis-quoted me and told me it would be $3,750. I was shocked. It was like someone punched me in the gut repeatedly. But I found a solution... and I wouldn't be able to get the money until January. Fine. Surgery is scheduled for January. I got my 2009 insurance benefits package in the mail yesterday.... my out of pocket is now $4,750. I was pissed all night last night. I'm still fuming. I mean, I'm glad I have insurance, but I am really pissed at my employer. I've been with this company for five years and have worked my ass off.... and this is what I get? A higher premium and more expenses?

I will have the amount necessary, but it'll basically wipe me out.

So now I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place..... go broke to have surgery.... or don't have surgery and struggle with my health for the rest of my life?

I think I'll go broke... but damn this is a lot to deal with.

Hate it for you. Just remember there are many who wish all they had to pay was $5000. That's half of what I paid.

Remember, this is an investment. And the payoff is never having to purchase another diet pill. Not ever having to purchase another diet plan. You can watch those Weight Watchers or NutriSystem commercials and NOT have the desire to purchase them.

Over time, this saves a ton of money.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

I was self-pay...14k. I work for Blue Cross, going on 13yrs, but part-time so no benefits are offered to me. I borrowed off my 401k, paying myself back. But due to money market and else...doesn't look like I can count on it for my plastic surgery cost in future!

I had a choice to do Lapband or buy a car....obviously made the better choice!!

Now only drawback...can't get private health insurance due to having the surgery...yet my DH can due to his "tobacco use and build"??? Hopefully his new employer will get a group policy with no riders...only the "no services for weight loss" exclusion. If it's excluded in the policy, they won't cover fills and whatever else may arise.

Still...one of BEST decisions I've made money wise!!

I also was a self pay. I used money I inherited from my mother and know she would be proud. Having said that I am also an employer and in the process of determining health insurance for our small business for next year. We are a small business with insurance with a major company and what I would call very good coverage. We have needed to cut our coverage each year just to keep the premiums affordable. For us to keep the same coverage for all our employees in 2009 the costs go up almost 15%. Now one person has reached the big 60, but that is the same employees with no additions to dependents. By increasing the deductible and co-payments we can reduce the increase to 4%.

What do we do? The increase is not our fault and this insurance company has the best doctor and hospital coverage for our area. Many doctors I use are not on the other major insurance company plans. What is fair for me as the employer to absorb and therefore pass on to my customers in higher costs, especially in this economy? How much more do you want or can afford to pay? What do we really want or need our insurance companies to pay? The issue of health insurance coverage goes far beyond weight loss surgery.