I had my first pre-op visit yesterday and am super excited about the Lap Band! My question is this: I went to a doctor in my area--I've met him before, as he removed my gall bladder a few years ago and feel comfortable with him. But although my insurance should cover the cost, his office charges $3,500 for non-covered stuff like classes and a support group, nutritionist on staff, etc. Is this normal? I'd really like him to do it and there's no one else in town who does, so going elsewhere would mean driving at least an hour and a half ... But I don't want to throw away a couple thousand dollars either. Help!

Program fees are normal, but this is really high to me. I live in Northen VA, but I know other areas can be higher. I am driving over an hour to see someone that has no program fee. All my test could have been done with them, but I went for the convenice of close to home for those. I had 2 nutrition classes (1 as 4 hrs. long) that wre included. I checked with 2 other groups first and each had fees of about $450, plus they wanted me to do a 6 month structed program for a fee and use Optifast for 2 weeks at about $350, pay for nutrition classes about $200. Dang, not that far off from you. Check around, it might be worth it to drive.

Edited February 26, 200917 yr by niterun

I would do the drive if I was you. My insurance paid all of mine except for $75.00 for the nutrition class and $50.00 copay when I went in the hospital for surgury. Good luck!

While program fees are pretty common, $3,500 is exceptionally high. I'm having my surgery in Boston (where everything is more expensive) and my fee is $550. Most hospitals in the area charge the same. I would definitely shop around; a couple hundred is one thing to come up with, a couple thousand is another!

Then again, if you feel completely comfortable with this Dr. and don't mind the fee, go for it. Good luck!

Well I was a self pay. All of the classes, (nutritional, support,living with the band,etc) where all covered in my surgical fee. $3500 seems very high. I would check around. As far as I am concerned the after care program should be part of the surgery itself. Not seperate, which makes me kind of wonder.

I didn't have to pay any fees except for my out of pocket through insurance. I even had the doctor due the pre surgical tests and saw his nutrionist for 6 months.

I had mine done in Chicago

I would talk with your insurance and see if that is permitted. I have a lady at work who had the gastric bypass and the doctors office charged her a thousand dollar fee before they would do the surgery. when her insurance found out about this they said she shouldn't have to pay anything but her co-pay through the insurance. Needless to say the doctors office refunded her her $1,ooo.

My doctors office has a flate rate $500 education fee that no insurance will cover. We are told this up front and it includes the life time access to the dietician and exercise specialists, no matter if is ten years down the road.

I'm wondering if you doctor is uping the education fee for his owen profit. I wouln't take my word for it but i think it's certainly worth looking in to.

Good Luck:)

My doctor's office charges $300 - half due at the first education appoinment and the other half due today - when I go for my preop testing and final education. This helps cover all the education programs I have attended and will

attend in the future. I can handle $300, but $3500 would be difficult.

Check around even if you have to drive, check with your insurance some of them will cover a hotel if you have to drive more that 50 miles, and check with your insurance company to see if they have only certain doctors they cover. But that fee of $3500?!?!?! That is steep. I would shop around.

That is amazingly high.

I live in Northern Virginia and my program fee was $475.00. That covered the inital consult, nutrionist evaluation and follow-up, support groups, support staff and use of the dietician, educational material and the coordination and collection of all pre-op stuff (test results, insurance, paperwork etc. )

I live in the O.C. and went to Oband Center no fees

Wow. Sounds like my doc is WAY steep. Thanks for the input, everyone!