Im interested in the lap band surgury.

The only thing that is stopping me is money.

I dont have $17,000.

I would be paying cash cause i dont have insurance.

Would it really be that much?

Or more?

The lap band surgery is an EXCELLENT option, so long as your prepared to use it as a tool! Not a miracle, I always say that because for about two months I realized that it can be worked around, you have to WANT it :-)

Now, that being said.

I paid cash for my lapband, I went to Mexico! Total was well worth it, around $8000 for EVERYTHING including my flights from Ohio to El Paso, travel into Mexico (arranged by Hospital De Angeles) and it was seemless.

Now, many people wont dare go to mexico. I also had the choice to go do Detroit MI, same set of people doing the surgeries just more red tape. They also had a cash price, but it was $12000 BEFORE travel and stuff. For me, being in Ohio. Travel would've been pretty much nothing.

So $12 K in MI isn't that bad, and its below the $17K you had mentioned so I decided to post. I could hook you up with information on that place IF IF IF you are interested.

I won't bother because I don't know where you are located.

So, where exactly are you? Is Detroit MI an option?

Not a bad price..

Thanks

I was self pay, cost 16,900..I opted to pay the extra 900 for 18 months for just in case..I live in Illinois..I think it's different cost in different states..

CareCredit.com and others can possibly finance you. Some boardies go to mexico or other states to find cheaper rates. Where are you located?

Price varies. And a warning about having it done anywhere other than where you are (Mexico, Canada, 4 hours from your house, whatever).....make sure you line up handy aftercare, or plan on traveling back to your original banding surgeon multiple times during the first year. Aftercare is as important as the band itself.

(And right now it's kind of dangerous to travel to mexico...there's a travel advisory)

Having said that you can find the surgery for as little as 10K or thereabouts...but you need to shop. And for something this important, price can't be the only determining factor. Good luck!

Dr. DiMarco, Harrisburg PA, $12,600

Yes, it could be more depending on how your aftercare is structured. I was self pay and my total was 17k. I paid the surgeon's fee (which includes 5 years of aftercare including all fills) of 7500k in cash and got an awesome low APR through Capital One Credit (I think like 3%) for the remaining hospital and anesthesia fees. My monthly payments are just over $400, and boy am I happy with my decision.

My doctor is less then half an hour away from me. This is perfect since I have been seeing him every 4 weeks for fills since the healing stage of the surgery, and he also holds weekend support groups at the hospital I was operated on each month. Another thing to find out is just who will be doing your fills. It seems that many lapbanders have their fills done by a nurse or physician assistant. I love the fact that my surgeon is the only one to fill me. Since he operated on me, he knows exactly where my port is, and hits it on the first try every time. He doesn't have to dig around to find the port and doesn't need to use fluro.

Make sure you find the right doctor for you...not just the first one that fits your budget. My doctor is with the center for excellence and has been doing lapbands since 2001. I know that he rarely takes on patients that were banded elsewhere (i.e. Mexico) and if he does, the per fill pay structure is something like $400/visit.

It is a lot of money, but it is an investment in your future and I simply was not willing to travel out of the country or to another part of the state for the surgery. Proper aftercare is vital to your success and no amount of money saved can give me the peace of mind of having my surgeon accessible and nearby.

Edited March 3, 200917 yr by cattoy71

Mine was 17500 and included aftercare and fills.

I think you need to check the cost of going elsewhere....for the cheap surgery and then pay for your aftercare. Or the cost of going for surgery locally and having aftercare included. Both decisions are valid, depending on what you find out and what you are comfortable with.

I had my choices down to a local place or going to Mexico and having fills done after getting back. I chose local because the closest fill location that took patients who they hadn't banded was 4 hours away. With my work schedule and the cost difference it just wasn't worth the savings to go to mexico.

I also paid cash and my total was 15,000. This included all surgery costs and after visits and fills for 2yrs. I used CareCredit and my payments are under $300 per month.

I was self-pay with Dr. Rumbaut in Mexico. He was fantastic, the hospital was gorgeous (brand new, private room) and had excellent service (immediate response when you push the nurse button, they let my mom sleep in my room with me) and the whole thing -- including my mother's & my plane fare -- cost under $10K.

There is more info. about this -- including photos of the hospital, etc. on my blog (link below).

Catherine

If you are anywhere near Colorado you can get banded for a little less than $10,000. I have insurance, so I didn't have to pay cash, but I could send you some links to places here in Colorado that are under the $10,000. My doctor is $9900 for self pay and I will say I am very pleased. Again, like others have said the aftercare is important, I am 6 months out and have had to travel 5x to see my Doctor. I am feeling that I am at my "Sweet Spot" now so I probably won't have to follow up again for a couple of months. Just let me know if you would like me to pass along those links.

The dr I am seeing in Illinois is $16000 for everything. I'm thankful I have insurance that covers it.

I paid a little over $14,000 for mine, but now the doctor has it posted on his website for a little over $11,000. Like someone else said, CareCredit offers great financing. I pay $250 a month & totally worth it. I'm close to Cincinnati! This includes all aftercare!!!! The cost is a lot, but do it!!!

I too went to Mexico. I paid $9800 CANADIAN...so at the time that was around $7850 US.

I have aftercare lined up here in Canada...but choose to go back to Mexico (The OCC) for my aftercare because I love it there! I am not worried about the travel advisories - I have friends who live there and am not worried. In fact I am going there again next week Feel free to pm me if you have questions!

I was banded in Indiana and paid $16,000 out of my own pocket. That covered the procedure, the next day in the hospital and a year of follow up & fills.

There were a few other charges the hospital stuck me with that the initial cost didn't cover that came out to about an extra $1000 though.

The upside is that my doctor is five minutes away from my home, so check-ups and support group meetings and things like that are a breeze to get to (as well as my weekly weigh-in).

I am also self-pay; scheduled for March 23rd.

Total 15K

All fills and aftercare included.

Hospital portion 10k

Surgeon 5K

As poster above said, I'm paying cash for the surgeon.

Then financing balance.

Since I'm quit smoking in preparation for surgery, I figured out what I don't spend on smoking monthly will more than cover the monthly payments. Heck with the food I'm not shoveling in I may actually come out ahead:rolleyes:

Edited March 4, 200917 yr by jet9999
Addendum: I'm getting it done in my hometown (Wichita Falls); I could walk to the doc's office in 15 minutes.