Self Pays -- How much did you pay?

[vucarre 0]

I am going to have to pay for the band myself. I just want to get an idea of what others are paying in other parts of the US. Also, please give me your dr.s name.

In my area, Charlotte, NC, Dr. Voellinger charges about $16K for the surgery and a year of fills. He also charges a $200 application fee and another $1200 for nutrition, psych eval & body fat composition test which are all mandatory. CMC Charlotte charges $15K for everything and year of fills and they seem to be just as good. However, my BMI is not high enough for them.

I am also considering a Dr. in South Africa, Dr Constantinos Sofianos. drsofianos@iafrica.com Obesity Unit South Africa holistic approach to management of Obesity. They charge about $10,000 USD. I will be getting more info. in the next few weeks when I visit.

Thanks for the info!!!

[luluc 6]

I was self pay (BMI of 36) - DFW area. $15k was the cost and it covered all pretesting / surgery / 1yrs worth of fills. Aftercare Dr's visits are also covered - fills after the first year are $100.

[*susan* 1,709]

Mine was $16,000.00 and included everything for the first year.

[Angie4b1g 1]

$12500 plus $400. Includes psych consult, 2 weeks of Medifast for preop diet, all the appointments, surgery and fills for 2 years.

This was Dr Curry in Cincinnati Ohio.

[Hannah 0]

In Canada I am getting the procedure for 16000 and another 200 for the pre liquid shakes...this includes all refills and the surgery without proving anything to them as to where and when I tried other means of losing weight...I went in February the 29 and my surgery date is the 17 of March.....just need to call for appointment

..Toronto Weight Loss Obesity Surgery Lap Band Bariatric Surgeon Gastric Bypass

Dr Cobourn is his name but there are several other doctors there

hope this helps

[slgandera 0]

13,000 everything plus fills for a year. Pueblo Colorado

[Wendy_Denver 0]

I was a self-pay in Colorado. My insurance paid for the lab work and doctors' visits but they would not pay for the surgery. My surgery was $14,150.

Hospital charges:$10,000

Anesthesia fee: $650

Pulmonary fee** (consult, modified pulmonary testing, and hosp. mgmt.):$200

Surgeon's fee (evaluation, hospital mgmt., and 6 months post-op care):$3,200

Surgical assistant’s fee: $300

Total: $14,150

Get the surgery done in the US. There are two places you can maybe get financing from.

CareCredit - which you may access both via the internet at www.CareCredit.com, or by calling 1-800-365-8295

Capital One Health Care Finance – which you may access both via the internet at www.CapitalOneHealthCareFinance.com, or by calling 1-877-559-5050

Good Luck!!!

[jena 0]

The surgeon I'm looking at has self pay pricing as follows:

Initial office consult $175

Registered dietition consult $50

Pre-op office visit $150

Pre-op testing/evaluations varies

Surgeon fee $7,500 (that's a $2,500 discount)

Assistant Surgeon Fee $350

Hospitle charge $12,500

Anesthesia charge $975

Which comes out to a whopping $21,550

That's for lap-band.

Okay. So why is my Dr. so much more than others? Mine is Dr. Hart in Atlanta.

[TheGh0st 9]

My surgery was long enough ago the prices wouldn't mean much now. But one word of "wisdom?" I have absolutely nothing wrong with going abroad for surgery there is no reason why doctors outside the US should be considered sub-standard. However, you do need to make sure before you chose a doctor outside of where you live (even within the US) that you can find a doctor closer to home to provide the necessary follow up care you will need with fills and so on. Many band docs unfortunately will not fill anyone that they did not personally band.

[jena 0]

Thank you so much for the quick reply TheGh0st!

I just got off the phone with Dr. Ortiz office in TJ. The price is right (meaning I have more than enough saved) and he has a fine reputation.

I'm not a religious person, more of a spiritual, and this weekend I prayed and asked God to show me another option for the banding. I don't want to go into debt, but I want it done NOW. :thumbup:

So today I find this forum, which opened my eyes about surgery in Mexico. Thank you God!

Lori gave me the name of a place to have fills here in Atlanta, so I'm covered there.

[TheGh0st 9]

Congratulations Jena! I nearly went to Mexico myself. I know there are plenty of reputable surgeons there, I just couldn't get my family on board and also had trouble finding a local doc to agree to take me on for fills if I didn't use them.

[vucarre 0]

Shampoo just got her band done in Mexico last week and she lives in ATL.

Here is a link to what she has written about her experience Feb 26 Surgery - Lap Band Forum. You may want to contact her and find out where she is planning to get her fills.

My family is moving to S.Africa that is why I am considering getting it done there.

[TheGh0st 9]

....My family is moving to S.Africa that is why I am considering getting it done there.

That is a very good reason to follow up on the doc you mentioned from South Africa. Have you had any luck with finding other bandsters that have used him? If you can't find any here maybe the S. African clinic might know if there is another similar online support forum that some of their patients like to use.

Good luck on your journey whatever you decide.

[kpinpookie 0]

Thank you so much for the quick reply TheGh0st!

I just got off the phone with Dr. Ortiz office in TJ. The price is right (meaning I have more than enough saved) and he has a fine reputation.

I'm not a religious person, more of a spiritual, and this weekend I prayed and asked God to show me another option for the banding. I don't want to go into debt, but I want it done NOW.

So today I find this forum, which opened my eyes about surgery in Mexico. Thank you God! :redface:

Lori gave me the name of a place to have fills here in Atlanta, so I'm covered there.

Dear Jena,

I wonder if you could give me some info about how you are doing now. I also live in Atlanta & am interested in going to Mexico. I'm concerned about finding a place to have fills. Thanks for any input.

Katie

[jena 0]

Katie, I am doing well! The Atlanta fill office is great. It's like visiting family when I go. As a matter of fact, everyone who works there IS family!

The nurse Darlene was one of the first people Dr. Ortiz trained to give fills. Her brother-in-law is a retired MD and also does fills so you will be well taken care of. All fills are done using a fluoroscope so there is no guessing involved. You get to watch your band in action!

Nothing to worry about in the Atlanta office!

Good luck to you. I encourage you to get it done!