everyone paying for this themselves?

Mel5683 · July 18, 2005

Hi all,

I was just curious because im having the hardest time getting anywhere. I can't get approved by my insurance and i haven't able to finance my surgery. Is everyone paying out of their pockets for this? I know im not the only one with bad credit, and there are so many people getting the lap band. How are you guys doing it?????? :cry

maudeispam · July 18, 2005

Fortunately I have good insurance that will pay for it. Otherwise I would'nt be able to do it either. Keep bugging your insurance company, have your doctors write them and tell them you need this done. Show proof, medical related problems to your weight ( blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, etc.) Document your efforts over the years to loose the weight. Best of luck.

Mel5683 · July 18, 2005

Thanks for your reply, the only bad things is that i have a written exclusion so i can't get past it even with a referral of medial necessity. What insurance co do you have?

Alexandra · July 18, 2005

Mel, you are FAR from the only person who can't pay for this expensive surgery out of pocket. I fought with my insurance carrier for 9 months before winning on external appeal. I was totally prepared to wait and switch carriers if I had to, or even look for a new job. Thankfully none of that was necessary, and I was able to win even though Aetna excluded the band across the board at the time.

If your employer has a written exclusion that can be the hardest thing to fight, but I know it's been done. Are you talking with your human resources dept about it? If they're on your side the exclusion can be changed. IF they're on your side, which is a big IF, I'm sad to say.

maudeispam · July 18, 2005

I have Dakota Care Design through my husband's work and I have Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield through my employer.

live2canoe · July 18, 2005

I paid for my band by using credit cards. I'm still trying to pay them all off. I used the 'courtesy' checks they send. Be careful - some credit cards treat those like a cash advance and you get charged MUCH higher rates. Read the checks and your terms and conditions carefully.

princess_n_thep · July 18, 2005

I went to Mexico for my band. Many people here go to other countries to get their bands because the self pay is more expensive here. The costs vary somewhere between $7,000-$10,000 in a different country. A LOT of us have gone to Mexico. I saved and paid 1/2 of my band cash and the other 1/2 my mom paid/ i borrowed. I have 2 years to pay it back. Much cheaper than the credit card rate. It was scary going to another country at first, but I do have a happy healthy band so it was all worth it.

giveyouthemoon · July 18, 2005

My work had given me some (very very few) stock options like six years ago and they have been underwater all that time. Our company is finally doing well and the stock options were worth something so I sold them and that covered a little more than half. The rest I scraped up from savings. I have no savings now....but that's okay, it was worth it.

knelson1961 · July 18, 2005

For my daughter's band, I borrowed a majority against my 401 plan at work at a 6.3% interest rate and I'm actually paying back myself on each paycheck. The rest I cashed in stock that my company gives each employee each year. I checked into the finance company that my doctor suggested but they wanted to charge a 19% interest rate. I couldn't do that.

Good luck.

the best me · July 18, 2005

I used our Home Equity line of credit. The rate went up last month to 7.25%, it was 6.5% a few short months ago. Even less a few months before that! sigh. But I'm chipping away at it. The rate is much less than a credit card and, of course, it's a tax deduction. But it's the rate that chose the way we went. I'm planning to go back to work in the fall? so the bulk of my paycheck will go towards getting that monkey off my back. In the meantime, I'm shrinking slowly. It will be worth it!