Dirty lil secret or business as usual??

[JustAskinThx 0]

Hi, I have a question. I'm researching my options for lap-band and I've been to two seminars. The first one was a doctor who does ONLY lap-band, works through one particular same-day surgery center, very slick and well designed program. In addition to the cost of the surgery covered under insurance, he charges a "program fee" of $4000. This is not negotiable.

Second doctor, no such "program fee." He does not have an exercise consultant on staff nor does he have a pharmacist on staff as the first one does.

Is this "program fee" a standard practice? I have good insurance, but I don't have $4000 lying around.

Just Asking, Thanks!:thumbup:

[rayne913 0]

I've heard of doctors having program fees but the highest that I've heard was 500 dollars. Not sure what the other 3500 is for..Not even sure what the 500 was for, but I switched and went to a surgeon that didn't charge anything extra. Good luck!

[Mimilou2004 13]

I wanted to switch out of my practice but the only other lap band surgeon in town charged a $500 program fee and that was too much. Unless you need this $4000 sham, go with the other one if he is reputable and well experienced. $4000 is ridiculous.

Best wishes,

Mimi

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

I have to agree. I can see them possibly charging one or two hundred simply because it's a lot of work to get this surgery through insurance and I'm assuming they are trying to weed out who is really serious about it vs. who just had a random "I want to lose weight" thought...4K is nuts. (FYI mine had no program fee)

[Humming Bird 275]

$4000 does seem crazy ! I have nothing to compare because I was self-pay with a Doc. that does not accept insurance. I think this is one way he keeps his costs down. He doesn't have to pay people to deal with all the extra paperwork and stuff.

[TwilightLover83 0]

My surgeon had a either $300 or $400 program fee. That includes life-time support group meetings & other classes I want to attend (some are really great!). I have access to a bariatric pharmacist, exercise guy, dietician, and a total of 3 Bod Pods (that cost typically $25 each). The Bod Pod measures lean weight vs fat...had 1 pre-op & then 1 6 mo post op & 12 mo post op. The Dr wants to make sure you aren't losing too much muscle. I personally didn't have a problem w/ paying the small program fee my surgeon required b/c he is awesome. Oh, and if you were a self-payer he waived the program fee for ya (i had insurance though). 4k does sound odd to me. Any other surgeons in your area you can talk w/?

[JustAskinThx 0]

Thank you all!

You know, I really would not have a problem with a program fee which is tied in with the various support personnel--heaven knows, I've spent the bucks on various weight-loss plans before! But I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks $4000 is way too high. Fortuantely, there is another surgeon on my insurance plan who does not charge an additional fee.

Thank you all for your input! I am so happy I found this board. It's SO good to knoow I'm not alone in this!

[~amy~ 1]

My surgeon didn't have a program fee at all, and he offers a a dietician, in-house support group (in which he himself participates), and a blog/message board system where he and his wife (also a lap-band surgeon) post all kinds of helpful hints, recipes, exercise ideas, and general support. If a patient has a general question, he/she can post to the message board and will receive an answer (no actual medical advice, though - which is completely understandable). I don't get the vibe from them that they're just out to make a quick buck...they actually care about their patients, are very knowledgable, practice what they preach (good eating habits, exercise), and to me, that's what makes a good doctor.

I think you have to trust your instincts about people. You said yourself that he was "very slick." That alone says to me that you don't completely trust him. And I wouldn't let any doctor near me unless I trusted him with my LIFE - which is what you'll be doing on surgery day. I'd say it was time to find somebody else.

Good luck!!

[GraciesMom 0]

Hi JustAskInThx, (and everyone else), This has been a topic that has been discussed in other posts here at LBT with much the same responses. $200-$300-up to $500 seems to be the acceptable amounts for the "extras" aka "program fees" , but in the thousands, that is definitely off the charts. There is no excuse for those types of costs, and to me they simply reflect a group of greedy doctors who are taking advantage of the obese and their great desire to lose weight. After all, if those costs were really necessary they would be covered in the insurance costs.

It appears to me that those "mandatory" costs are all subjective, and come with a various list of pre and post surgery avantages, but none that seems to be worth 1/3 of the actual surgery costs (approx.). Personally, I am very leery of any surgery program with those outrageous add-on costs, as I know there are wonderful surgeons that have developed their own success based programs that involve all the pre surgical and follow-up post care you will need at the rates I listed above. My surgeons were suggested by my insurance company and are the required "Centers of Excellence". I would suggest that would be ones first prerequisite when searching out a surgeon, check with your insurance and see who they list on their websites as surgeons that they recommend for any bariatric surgery.