"Mexican" Surgeons

thanks charming, you should have wrote the original post, you articulated your point so much better than me.

Charming is that because of insurance? If so I think that's why. I had a consult locally and wouldn't have had to do all that if I had self paid.

My mom is going self pay for a band right now.  She has to complete all of those steps plus a 3 month class on what her new lifestyle witll be, nutrition after WLS, developing the exercise habit, dealing with emotions and addictions, etc.  Kind of like the class my insurace required of me, but mine was 24 weeks long.  She is not using the surgical group that I did either.  Many surgeons in my area are now requiring more education since so many people have the thought process that the surgery will take care of everything and I have to do nothing but keep eating my favorite fattening foods but in a smaller quanitity.

My insurance company only paid for the procedure if it was performed by a "Center of Excellence" surgeon.  Those safeguards are required by "Center of Excellence" practices -- Really, they are very GOOD requirements.

My question is -- Since cosmetic surgery is also elective, and also the product of emotional and adaptive issues (as well as physical ones) then . . . Why are there not additional safeguards and clearances required or recommended?

Maybe they are, and I am just blissfully unaware.  But I would like to know!

Because medical care and insurance in general are not standardized. I did IVF in 2002. I had to have a psych eval. I know a lot of other people online who didn't. I only transferred 2. Yet Octomom found a Dr. who transferred WELL more than that.

I certainly think there should be safeguards I am sure I want the government or insurance companies standardizing the care. The governement is already trying to tax cosmetic procedures. And basically most procedures are elective but I consider ps after massive weight loss difference. It's a quality of life issue. For me my skin gets infections in my folds and I still can't get insurance to pay. It is what it is but I prefer to have choices.

It's certainly not standardized. All I had to do here was pay and do bloodwork prior to sugery. And I've heard others say that as well. One PS in Utah offered to do my tummy tuck based on pics just like Dr. Sauceda without a consult first. So all I was trying to do was point out its and issue in and out of the states.