Medical tourism

[Softtacocrumbs 12]

Has anyone had a solid successful surgery with anyone outside the US? Any recommendations? My insurance doesn't cover it, so I was hoping to do it out of pocket.

Thanks everyone!

[liveaboard15 1,293]

There is an entire section on this forum on this subject. Most that pay out of pocket go to Mexico... I am out of pocket as well but i did mine in Florida which cost me $19-20K

[liveaboard15 1,293]

This section is where you would probably find your information https://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/486-mexico-self-pay-weight-loss-surgery/

[summerseeker 2,044]

Hi, I am in the UK and it cost me £11000

[lorlybeth84 35]

I used Alabama Bariatrics in Huntsville, AL and it was $8995. I was nervous to go to Mexico and this pricing made it a good alternative for me. Might be worth looking into.

[Sleeve_Me_Alone 656]

I had VSG in Tijuana, Mx. at HospitalBC with Dr. Illan, so I can only speak to my own personal experience. I did about 200 hours of research before my surgery and based on that research, finances, and other personal considerations, decided to go the Medical Tourism route and have been very happy with that decision.

These hospitals ONLY do bariatric surgeries and are geared towards medical tourists. They run a VERY well oiled machine from intake to discharge. The process was so smooth, I was completely confident going alone. The surgeon I chose is highly accredited, has done thousands of WLS procedures, has relationships and mentorships with some of the most well known US bariatric surgeons for continuing ed, is board certified, etc. He is just as qualified, if not more so, than many of the bariatric surgeons in my area.

The reality is, there are amazing surgeons in the US and just as many in Mexico and other places. Conversely, there are terrible surgeons here and everywhere else. There are pros and cons to each, and every person has different needs. Ultimately it boils down to doing your research, finding a surgeon you trust, and a program that fits your needs.

Definitely check out the Mexico & Self Pay forum for helpful info!

[Softtacocrumbs 12]

I used Alabama Bariatrics in Huntsville, AL and it was $8995. I was nervous to go to Mexico and this pricing made it a good alternative for me. Might be worth looking into.

Quick question: was this all inclusive? Like with the anesthesia? I can provide like the paperwork from my GP of my blood work, so I do t think that needs to be redone. I don't want to be charged like 9k and then there's even more.

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[lorlybeth84 35]

13 hours ago, Softtacocrumbs said:

Quick question: was this all inclusive? Like with the anesthesia? I can provide like the paperwork from my GP of my blood work, so I do t think that needs to be redone. I don't want to be charged like 9k and then there's even more.

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Yes all inclusive for all of the medical bills and includes 1 year of follow up appointments as well. The only additional costs I had were to cover my transportation there (I drove to save $$ over flying) and then the hotel stay in the area. I had to go the day before surgery for a consult and then stayed 2 days after so I had 3 nights of hotel costs but that really wasn't terrible.

[dat9513 4]

South Carolina I paid $16000.00

[LauraSarah 3]

I live in the UK but had my surgery in Turkey at very affordable Price. It nearly cost GBP 4000 to me and smooth process. They gave me a diet plan and still checking me. Clinic name is Surgerytr and the surgeon is Dr Can.

[MightySteed 1]

I had mine done in Tijuana, Mexico almost 3 weeks ago. It cost me 6320.00 American dollars plus my travel there by plane to San Diego, California where a driver picks you up from the airport and takes you across the border. I chose Frontier airlines and it was about 250 for a round trip ticket. All was very professional and safe. They take better care of you than any hospital I've ever been to in the USA. My doctor was Dr. Papilla and he was wonderful. You can even purchase your surgery video after its all done if you want. That is 50 bucks. I chose to have my after care meds delivered to the hospital for 180 bucks but you could get a prescription instead if you prefer.
Its a very seamless experience and I have already lost 50 pounds since I started this journey. I started at 318 pounds and today weighed in at 268 pounds. That includes the preoperative diet that started 4 weeks prior to surgery. The day I weighed in for surgery (September 6th 2022) I was a whopping 295.
My diabetes is gone, my fatty liver is reversed and my vision has returned almost completely (I can read without my glasses again) and the swelling in my legs is nearly gone. I have a personalized diet plan with their dietitian and they are still keeping in touch with me. I am so pleased with them. I had surgery at Hopsital CIBA through a company based in California called Be Slim Bariatrics. They ONLY do bariatric surgeries. The doctor will approve you for the surgeries he sees fit vased on your medical application and you can choose the one you want to go with. I chose Gastric bypass instead of the sleeve since I researched it and found that it was more likely to reverse diabetes.
I took the gamble and feel like I have WON! The doctor speaks English and most of the nurses do too. I put a translator on my phone and we had no issues. I do not regret this decision and I would do it all over again. My only regret is having waited so long to jump on it.

Beslimbariatrics.com

It literally is saving my life. Health insurance in Texas said its purely cosmetic and refused to even consider it. I feel alive again. Diabetes was literally killing me.
If you have any questions please let me know. I was scared to go but after researching for almost a year I made the decision to leap. I figured that I was dying anyway and I would rather die trying than to sit back and wait for diabetes to kill me first.

Oh and the hotel they put you in the night before surgery was the nicest place I have ever stayed. I literally felt like a movie star. Its gorgeous. They transport you to the hotel and to the hospital. Its called the Quartz Hotel in Tijuana, Mexico. Look it up. I couldn't have asked for a better experience.

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