jukebox

Congrats Libby!!! And Debbie - I can tell you from experience that Dr. Krish and the entire staff at FOSA are awesome. I was banded on June 29th by Dr. Krish at the Pasco Regional Medical Center. Hopefully I will get to meet you guys soon. We have our monthly support group meeting this Saturday at 10AM if you can make it. It is at the office in Zephyrhills. Take Care, Jim

They look good to me!!!!:whoo:

Figure on about a week.

This whole post sounds like BS to me.

This site needs a men's forum - not just a thread.

I was denied because my BMI is 61. I am currently appealing that decision. (Empire BC/BS).

Coolbrze, If you are forced to self-pay you might want to look into a new surgery center that just opened up in the Tampa area. They are called Journey Lite of West Florida. I called today to find out the cost and it is $15,800. They don't take insurance, so it is cash only.

I'm not banded yet, but I'm getting ready to start the process. I found an informative video from Studio 10 who interviewed Dr. Lee Grossbard. Here is the link: http://www.studio10.tv/video/segment.aspx/43184/35040/Journey_Lite_of_West_Florida/Learn_about_LAPBAND.asx

Me too Dawg!!!

You are included in that list!!!

Hey Fitter I thought you were done posting on this site? Do us all a favor and keep your word (whatever word that might be). And thanks for flipping us all the middle finger yesterday - that was real classy.

Dunkin' Donuts Coffee!!!!

THIS IS MY FINAL POST. FAREWELL *flips up middle finger* *skips way* Dody, This is what Lisa said in her last post - let her gooooooooooo.

Cheese always calms me down:)

Me too - I think I have a tear welling up in the corner of my eye:cry

Isn't that half of a PB & J?

I like cheese!!!

This place is worse than the beauty parlor - get over it already.

My only claim to fame is that I was a contestant on the "Wheel of Fortune" in 2001.

News: Tampa doctors plan to build outpatient bariatric surgery center Tampa Bay Business Journal July 16, 2006 by Margie Manning Drs. Lee Grossbard, Richard DiCicco, Pandurangan Krishnaraj and Ernest Rehnke are experts in laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, or the lap-band procedure, the only procedure that will be performed in the outpatient center. TAMPA -- Four area doctors have partnered with a Charlotte, N.C., firm to build what is believed to be the first Florida outpatient center devoted exclusively to bariatric surgery for the severely overweight. The 7,000-square-foot center, branded as "Journey Lite of West Florida," is under construction at 5329 Primrose Lake Circle in the Tampa Palms Professional Center and is expected to open in about a year, pending approval by the Agency for Health Care Administration, said Edmund Bujalski, president and CEO of Bariatric Partners Inc. Prior to opening the facility, the physicians involved in the project will use an existing outpatient surgery center to begin doing bariatric surgeries, which are procedures to help severely overweight people lose weight by restricting food intake. Bariatric Partners is negotiating with two Tampa outpatient surgery operators, Bujalski said, and hopes to be operating at an interim site within two or three months. Bujalski declined to discuss financial terms of the joint venture, including how much the doctors have invested and how much the project will cost, although he said it would be in line with other ambulatory surgery centers. AmSurg Corp. (Nasdaq: AMSG), a Nashville-based operator of outpatient surgery centers, said it typically spends $1.5 million to $2 million to develop a new facility. There are 360 ambulatory surgery centers in Florida, but Peter Lohrengel, executive director of the Florida Society of Ambulatory Surgery Centers, said he's not aware of any that perform only bariatric surgeries.

I went to the website listed, but there is no state by state link?

Mine is from my love of Karaoke. People would pay me a $1 and I would sing any song in the Karaoke book!! Just like a Jukebox.

According to Dr. G, almost all of his patients don't have any stay in the hospital - they go home the same day. Dr. G. said that Pasco Regional MC only does lap band not RNY. He said the appointments every month for 1 year are just to see you face to face and to see how you are doing. He said that is the only inconvenience to having surgery there, but he does require you see him every month. Regarding Insurance Dr. G. said that currently there are NO insurance companies in the state of Florida that cover weight loss surgery. My wife's insurance is through her job and it is Empire Blue Cross / Blue Shield out of New York. Yes I live just outside of Temple Terrace in Tampa.

First of all let me start by saying Dr. Grossbard is very straight forward and doesn't beat around the bush. Some people call him cocky, but I would say he is confident. He doesn't sugar coat anything and I like that in a person. Second, if you have surgery done at the Pasco Regional Medical Center in Dade City and are doing self pay, the cost is around $17k not $24k. The $17,000 includes follow up appointments every month for 1 year. He requires you come in to see him once a month for the first year and does fills for free within the first year. After the 1st year he charges $100 for an office visit and $200 if you get a fill during those visits. I attended his seminar last night and he is the man that will be doing my surgery as soon as I get on my wife's insurance.

Hello - Newbie from Tampa Here!! I am scheduled to attend a seminar on May 3rd to learn about the lap band procedure and was wondering if anybody has used Dr. Grossbard to get the surgery? My insurance won't cover the surgery, but my wife's insurance will. So needless to say I am switching to her insurance next January and will hopefully soon be a bandster after that!!!!:clap2: :clap2: