Pre-surgery timeline for cash pay patients in US

[MarieLouise 31]

Can anyone comment on the waiting period between your consultation and your surgery if you had no bariatric benefits and paid cash in the US? Did it change your pre-op testing? I was given a quote as a cash pay pt and it stated that your pre-op diet plan was not included, about $60-120. However, it made no mention of EGDs, sleep studies, etc. If I need those, my expenses will sky-rocket. I'm wondering if those are insurance requirements or physician requirements.

Asking here instead of pre-op because I thought I may find more people who have been through it. Thanks!

[Hello new me 153]

I was a self pay patient. No issues as far as health went pre-op. I had labs only as my requirement. I had my consult the send of June. I had surgery August 3rd last year. I could have done it a few weeks earlier but couldn't arrange it with my work schedule. It all goes fast if your self pay. It was the best decision I have every made. 218lb on day of surgery and now I am 149. Life is great!

[ndavis1991 11]

I had my first visit in early Feb. just had to do a psych evaluation, lab work, meet with the nutritionist, and an upper gi. I could have had surgery in mid March but work issues put me having surgery in late April. Most of the other tests appear to be insurance requirements.

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[MarieLouise 31]

Thanks so much! My consultation is Thursday. Finally feeling hopeful about my weight for the first time in a long time since I found this group.

[Lovin2lose 25]

I'm also a self pay patient here in the states. I attended a mandatory weight loss seminar with my surgeon back in late March. I had my first consultation with my surgeon on April 20, 2016. From there I had to do 2 support group meetings, met with the dietician 2x, had a psych evaluation, a few lab works, an upper GI, ultrasound on my gallbladder, an endoscopy, had to meet with my primary, had some kind of "breathing test" to see if my stomach had a certain type of bacteria. I THINK that was everything, I might of missed a thing or two. Aside from the surgery, I put the rest of the tests through my insurance and just had to pay my part after insurance kicked in. It isn't cheap. Then once that was all done, I had a surgery date of June 21st. But the surgeon's office called me June 13th and asked if I could come in for surgery on June 15th because the surgeon had hurt his back and was going in for surgery himself on June 16th. So before my head could comprehend what she was saying, I jumped at the chance. So tomorrow I will be 2 weeks post op and I'm feeling great.

[aree1020 7]

I had a consultation 2 weeks ago and then I signed up for the soonest opening which will be July 7th. I do the pre op stuff the day before surgery. No psych evaluation or GI scans. I also go to a nutrition class during my pre op. If they don't have to mess with insurance it's as fast as you want it to be!

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Edited June 28, 2016 by aree1020

[smartj84 27]

I am self pay and I had to go through the steps. Phyc eval, hpylori test, over view class, group meeting, sleep study, surgeon consult, dietitian meeting, monthly weigh ins. It has taken me 3 months and I'm scheduled for July 20. I have no pre existing conditions.

[Jtothec 1]

I was self-pay. My pre-op testing was covered by insurance and cost around $1,200 including classes, evals, labs, chest X-ray, EKG and EGD. (I have a $800 deductible and a 20% copay after that.) Those were all physician requirements, not insurance requirements. It took me about 6 months from seminar to surgery, but part of that time was me waiting to get an appointment with a PCP.

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