bettyann29

Congrats!! I found out today that I was approved too!!! I have to wait til I get my letter from the insurance company then I make a preop appt.. I will get my surgery date then..

maybe Im wrong and you should check with your insurance company but I believe they go by the initial weight on your first visit.. they want to see that you can lose weight.. I have BCBS and originally they required 12 months of supervised diet so I put it off and was going to pay out of my pocket.. it ended up going on the back burner.. Then when I rechecked into it they had changed it to 6 months.. I decided that I have been overweight many years so 6 more months isnt going to kill me... I found out today that I have been approved 100%!! and I actually lost a small amount of weight from my first visit.. It is a little disappointing to have to wait but 6 months really isnt that long..

Just a few comments about a few of the Mexico drs.. I am undecided yet where I will be going for mine.. I checked a local dr and have since checked into others in the dallas area and its seems like its going around 15k.. I have also checked with a few out of state.. I am starting to lean towards Dr Ortiz in Mexico.. He has done over 1500 bands.. he is actually a mentor for Inamed.. They have actually been doing the band before it was being done in the us.. Inamed is the band that is fda approved in the us.. he actually has trained many us drs on the inamed band and travels with inamed for seminars from time to time.. Not only is he cheaper than drs here in the US but he comes very highly recommended.. I think I have only read one comment about him thusfar that is not favorable.. His name is also mentioned on another site and same goes there.. There is another dr name in Mexico that I have seen mentioned and he also has a good record.. Just wanted to mention this.. Many people go to Mexico because it is cheaper but many people also go there because the drs have the experience they do.. This may be an option for me.. the main reason I even looked into it was because it is cheaper, but the more I read, the more I like the drs.. When you check around in the US that might be something else you ask to the question is how many of the band surgeries has the dr done.. Thats what I have since done once I discovered this..

I am so proud for you teens! You are taking a step in the right direction to get your health going in the right direction.. it's hard enough to be an adult and overweight, I cant imagine being a teen and going thru it.. I am now 35 and didnt have a weight problem until after high school so I cant say I know exactly what you are going thru at your age, but I now know now what you are going thru.. Congrats!

Thanks for the info.. I pulled the info from my employer and it states it does not cover cosmetic surgery ... but does cover services that are medically necessary..

Do I understand correctly though that I could claim this surgery on my flexible spending acct? Im planning on doing lap band in the Spring of next year and if so that would work out great that I could claim this and get some of the money back up front tax free and then just have them continue to take out of my check for the rest of the year.. what proof would need to be given, I assume a receipt??

Went to a seminar last night as I am looking into having the surgery and he passed one around.. Its not a pound.. its very light.. I would say ounces.. pretty small and has a little cord that is attached to the port.. I would say not enough weight to make a difference..

Congrats!!!

Mousecrazy.. I was there!!.. wish I had known you would be there too.. And Patty you look great!! I saw your before and after pictures and I can say you look like 2 totally different people.. I am so excited about this and may have a chance at this with insurance.. so I will definitely be on the phone tomorrow to see what I can do.. If not, then it is cash.. so I will begin my savings.. should hopefully have by March as a last resort.. so wish me well..

Thank you so much Patty!! I am coming to the seminar tonight.. Cant wait..

Can you tell me which dr in Richardson does this?

Patty.. I live in Hurst and so your center would be very closeby.. what Im wondering is if your center does fills if another dr did the surgery?