"shafted" by LoneStar LapBand... Be Careful !!!

[MonSoleil98 0]

I want to send a cautionary message to anyone considering the Lap Band surgery with Dr. Bryce at LoneStar Lap Band in DFW, TX. I was scheduled to have my life changing surgery on March 27, 2006. Four days before my surgery, I am told that the surgery would cost $6000.00 more than I was told it would, and i don't HAVE an extra $6000.00 under my mattress !!! It dates back to January when Dr. Bryce told me he would combine another surgery I needed so my insurance would pay all hospital fees and I would only be responsible for his $7500.00 fee. He now denies telling me that of course, but where else would I get that dollar amount from if he didn't tell me himself? I never spoke with anyone else at the office about money until this problem came up?? I went to all the appointments they scheduled me for, did everything i was told to do, bought all of their diet shakes, Soups and everything needed for after the surgery ... and not once did anyone sit me down and go over money or costs or insurance ... nothing. I had another consultation with Dr. Bryce, which I paid $215.00 for, and he once again told me the same story, that the insurance would pay all hospital associated costs and I would be responsible for the $7500.00. He now states that the hospital must have changed their policy since he last talked to them??? My biggest problem here is the lack of accountability on Dr. Bryce's part. I was told he was a good, compassionate man and that he would do what he could to help me out since I was given the wrong information yet he refuses to do anything but offer a "sorry" via e-mail through his office personnel. And Lisa, his office manager who has really been stuck in the middle and is a wonderful person, had to e-mail me with the news because Dr. Bryce wouldn't even call me himself. I truly believe what Dr. Bryce has done is morally and ethically wrong and it doesn't seem to bother him at all ? And he has HAD the surgery himself, you would think he would understand the dissapointment at being "shafted" FOUR days before the scheduled surgery. Ok, well now i'm just venting and my point here is .... be careful. Get everything in writing. Don't wait until you've suffered through the liquid diet and spent hundreds of dollars on pre-op visits ... verify everything in advance.

Anyway, after countless consultations and nutritionist appointments, hundreds of dollars spent, 10 days on a liquid diet and a lost week of vacation, Dr. Bryce told me that I "had gotten the shaft" but there was nothing he would do to help me. I can't even begin to describe the absolute devastation and dissapointment of getting so close to changing your whole life and have it all taken away so easily.

[banded_for_life 2]

Sorry to hear that Kim, I hope you managed to get the issue resolved. Don't give up the fight.

[NJChick 3]

Wow, that bites the big one. I'm sorry Kimi

[chichigirl 1]

Kim I am so very sorry to hear of your devastation and disappointment. Is there any one else who you can go to for the surgery? He can't be the only game in town and you've already been through all of the preliminary testing and and it is all recent, so perhaps if you could find someone else in your area, they would accept the results from all that you have already done, so you are not faced with that expense again. It sounds as though you already have a fair amount of money prepared to pay him, that you now have to use with someone else. I know that I have seen several prices quoted on these boards for places in Texas, Alabama and I think Louisiana, any possiblity you could make arrangements with any of them?

I understand your frustration and disappointment, but do not allow that to stop you from going for that dream, he's not worth that. What about Mexico? I know that's controversial, but there are a number of folks who have done it and things have been fine for them. At least it worth looking into.

Keep us posted and again I am so sorry that this has happened to you. Just remember it doesn't have to be the end, you just have to fight a little more to get what you want.

Cindy

[Wheetsin 714]

Definitely look for another doctor, even just to see what your options are. Tests (excluding PAT, maybe, which you probably haven't done yet anyway) don't have to be done anywhere in particular, they just have to be done within X days of your surgery.

If it were me I'd be on the phone with the hospital find ing out whether or not anything changed, when it changed, what it changed to, etc. Someone "must have" has never meant much to me, especially when it involved my money.

[FunnyDuddies 6]

I actually researched if this could be done, having insurance pay for one surgery, and the doctor do another at the same time. The insurance company, the hosiptal, and my pcp said that it used to be done a lot, but now was tantamount to insurance fraud. And insurance companies are not allowing other surgeries to be done any longer while another procedure is being paid for.

I feel bad for you, really, and how you were treated is really sad. But it is something that he could possibly get in a lot of trouble. That still does not make it right that he did not talk to you about it though.

[MonSoleil98 0]

I will actually look into getting the surgery somewhere else especially with all the tests i've had done, but I need to come up with another $7500.00 because he had originally said that was all I needed for him .... so that is all i have to wait for at this point is more money, and that might take a while but i am looking and i'm not giving up ... thanks for all your support !!!

[TXhoney1964 0]

Hello everyone,

I live in east texas and I am close to Tyler to the Nacogdoches area. Any local bandsters in this area? Would anyone like to meet and share stories?

It would be great to have some "local support"

But this is great too being able to come here and read about others that are where i am.

Thanks to all of You.

[legallyKristin 0]

Hi TXHoney, I'm from Marshall. I graduated from SFA! Feel free to email me anytime! kristinrglee@hotmail.com

[slbno1 0]

I am near Texarkana, Tx. I have BCBS Federal and I am understanding that they dont cover the lap-band procedure. Is anyone naer me that knows anything about this, and would like to e-mail me, I would greatly appreciate the support, from you. My e-mail is slbno1@valornet.com

Thanx

[hutche 0]

HI,

I LIVE IN LONGVIEW TX. I HAD THE LAP BAND IN DALLAS ON MAY 3. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO E MAIL AT ANY TIME. HUTCH105@SBCGLOBAL.NET

[gjray 0]

Sorry about the disappointment. I had the same type of experience. Last year when I was selecting my insurance provider and an amount to applied to my healthcare spending account for the year I called the doctor's office and he answered the phone. I was inquiring as to the best insurance choice for me. He told me that the cost of the procedure would be "about $250". I reminded him that I had a 20% co-pay and he said "that is the charge. The hospital will charge something as well. So of course I selected the plan that he recommended and I got approved and two weeks before my pre-op appointment I was told that his portion is $900. I agreed and contacted the surgical center where the procedure is to be performed to inquire about their charges. The person who answered that the procedure never cost more than $3-5 thousand so my co-pay wouldn't be more than 500. I told her that I have a 20% co-pay to which she replied that there will be an additional discount becasue of the insurance. I received a call on a Friday at 4:45p.m telling me that the co-pay for the surgical center would be $1,200. The procedure was the first one scheduled for the next week.

The amount is not $6,000 but it was more than I expected. Is it possible that medical professional are going the way of 'used car salemen'?

I pray that you can get this resolved.

[MissyN 0]

I am sorry to know you had a problem. I just wanted to say that my experience with Dr. Bryce's office has been totally different.

When I first attended a seminar in January, I was given paperwork saying his non-refundable program fee was $250. By the time of my first appointment with Dr. Bryce, the program fee had increased to $400 but they honored the commitment of $250 without question.

I haven't had any problems with them at all and Julie, their insurance clerk, has been great to work with and kept me well informed of all the steps in the process.