I am still looking for affordable Lap Band surgery in Arizona. I live in Buckeye, just west of Phoenix. I was quoted $18,000 from a clinic in Tempe. Not sure if my insurance will cover the procedure. I can't afford this and am totally depressed:frown: Visited my family doctor today and he mentioned Flagstaff Surgical Assoc., Dr. Robert Berger, M.D. Is anyone familar with him and the cost of the surgery?

Find out first if your insurance covers the surgery. If so, then you'll need to go to an "in network" provider. (most likely)

If not, THEN you can start pricing. The cheapest I've heard of in the USA is around 10K

I am still looking for affordable Lap Band surgery in Arizona. I live in Buckeye, just west of Phoenix. I was quoted $18,000 from a clinic in Tempe. Not sure if my insurance will cover the procedure. I can't afford this and am totally depressed:frown: Visited my family doctor today and he mentioned Flagstaff Surgical Assoc., Dr. Robert Berger, M.D. Is anyone familar with him and the cost of the surgery?

Sadly, AZ is a VERY expensive state for banding.

That clinic in Tempe... I wouldn't go there. That is Orris and Debarros. They seem to have a pretty high erosion stat and they are just amazingly expensive, way out of line. They claim the reason they are so expensive is because they use two surgeons during surgery. Oye veh... ALL bands requires two doctors. There are four instruments going at any given time during surgery and unless the doctor has 4 hands it requires two people but Orris and Debarros charge for two lead surgeons. That is nothing short of unethical. You can't have two lead surgeons in banding. You have a lead and an assistant but they charge for two leads because they get more money out of you that way.

I've just heard a lot of bad things about them lately. People are not happy with the aftercare, the attitudes of the staff, the erosions, the band problems, the price, the works.

I remember when their patient coordinator pretended to be a patient and wanted to go to our Phoenix bandster lunches we were doing monthly. He didn't realize everyone there was already banded. He was trying to pimp for business. Just very unethical in so many ways.

If you stay in AZ I'd suggest Berger and his partner. I don't recall what the cost is but as I remember it was reasonable considering the rest.

Or, there is Aceves in Mexicali for $7K. He's about 50 miles west of Yuma.

David Kim, MD in Colleyville Texas is $9950. www.drdkim.net