pkr914

I am going to have lapband surgery but would appreciate some advice - I need to make a decision this weekend. I'm trying to decide between two surgeons. I am a lower BMI and have to pay for the surgery myself. NY University in NY City (I live in a suburb) has a very good program with experienced surgeons but they charge $25, 000 for the surgery, so that's out of the question. If I have surgery out of the country they would do the follow up at a cost of $500. for the initial consultation and $100. per fill. NYU referred me to a doctor in Mexico, Dr. Roberto Rumbaut who has over 5,000 lapband surgeries under his belt and has excellent credentials. The price is $10, 600, not including airfare, or $9, 500 if I can book on a "supersaver" day at the hospital. Obviously I would not go back there for any aftercare. The other possibility is Columbia-Presbyterian. I could get into a trial which would cost me $14,500. The surgeon is Dr. Marc Bessler, head of their WLS program, who is very experienced in bariatric and laproscopic surgery but has done only 250 lapband surgeries. I'm not sure how important that is considering his other experience. The surgery would be done 15 mins. from my home. If I did the surgery in Mexico, they're willing to do the follow-up as a cost of $300. for the consultation and $160. per fill. I have no idea how many fills I might need over the years and whether it"s worth going to Mexico for the surgery, though the immediate savings would be quite meaningful. Not sure whether over the long haul it would just even out, or going to Mexico might even cost me more. All advice, comments, thoughts needed and welcome!

I'm confused about the cost of fills. I am a self-pay who will have surgery soon, so I'm trying to plan aftercare whether I have surgery in Mexico or the States. If you have surgery in the States, are the fills covered by the fee for surgery (which is very expensive, as everyone knows)? If so, is the fluoroscoping covered? I don't know why the cost of the fluoroscope is separated out since it seems you can't have the fill without one. In Mexico, some surgeons seem to cover the fills forever for free plus the cost of the fluoroscope, usually $100. Others, for one year. In NY, NYU Medical Center will do the fills for $100 (with a $500. initial consultation fee) as a follow-uo to surgery in Mexico, and Columbia-Presbyterian will do follow-up fills after surgery in Mexico for $300. consultation, $160. per fill. I don't know if the fluoroscope is extra. I also don't know if the fills are included if you have surgery with them. Any and all information appreciated.

This trial is not sponsored but they want to do lower BMI patients. Columbia-Presbyterian is an outstandind hospital; I'm not worried about that aspect. But thanks for bringing up, it's a good point.

Besides Dr. Rumbaut I also got a recommendation from New York Univ. WLS program (Center of Excellence) for Dr. Juan Antoni Lopez who's in Tijuana. His fee is 8k, and Rumbaut's is 10.6k. Anyone have any experience or heard one way or the other about Lopez? Thanks.