Luarra28

I don’t really know where to begin with this.
WLS has been in the back of my mind for years now. I have only looked into it with any realness since spring of this year (2013). I started with a seminar done by my local CoE (Center of Excellence). They had sent me plenty to read and papers to fill out before I even got there. When I registered for the seminar, they found out a few things about me. One being, what my insurance was and still is. I had made my mind up that I would have it done. I had not made up my mind on which one to have but was leaning to the RnY, because it gave the largest % lost. It did not take them long to get back with me to let me know that my insurance does not cover any WLS. I felt like I had been crushed and I cried. After a short time dwelling on that, I pulled out the fine print and looked up exclusions in my policy. I found that they not only do not cover WLS they do not cover anything with the word obesity attached to it. Nor, will they cover any dietitian training or any weight loss efforts in general.
I had a brief meeting with the finance person at my local CoE. Quickly learned about what self-pay would entail for me. In a nut shell, the band is the cheapest, sleeve in the middle and on the high end RnY. So at that point if I stayed with local CoE to have it done, I would be going for the band, for no other reason than cost. I was giving a ball park to on cost 10-30k being if there was not complications. And when I was ready to talk brass-tacks, we could hammer out the finer points. She also gave me papers on companies that lend for this medical service. I avoid credit cards like the plague. So, I have NO credit, which for those of you that don’t know is worse than bad credit. So, I knew it was not an option for me. So I have to wait to be able to take from my 401k.
Now, I was starting to get pissed. My insurance however does pay for the all the co-morbidities listed in the stuff that I got from the CoE. And what you would be tested for and dealt with if you tested positive for it. The only one on the list that I up to that point had not had tested was sleep apnea. So, I went to my PCP and got him to send me for testing on that. I found out that I do have it. And since I didn’t have it done with my WLS it is covered by insurance. Yippee for the small things in life.

I set forth to learn all that I can. Found this place, researched Drs. Read up on Mexico and found YouTube. I have learned lots from some of those that I follow there. One of the main persons that I follow there is LessofSarah. She is great. Love her personality.