Question for Self Payers

Hello Everyone,
I am a newbie on here but I have been reading the VSG board for a while now. Thank You in advance to the OH community for any input that you can give me.  I am in the early stages of this whole process, but just recently decided that the sleeve is the thing for me.  I have done some research with my insurance carrier and it seems that they do not cover any type of WLS surgery, so I will be a self pay.  I am prepared.... with HELP....to cover the cost of surgery, but if there are any complications during surgery or during the recovery period that may require a longer hospital stay or another surgery, I would struggle with this scenario.  My question to other self pay sleevers, Did you have other options from anyone to buy an insurance policy that would cover just the complications from this surgery?   If so from whom? 

I was self pay and did not have another policy. I am happy to say that I had the most uneventful surgery and recovery!! You just have to weigh the odds and figure out what you can live with, for me the weight was a bigger risk than the surgery!!

YOUR sure there's an exclusion to VSG on your policy, you saw that word there ....not what you were told right! Ive seen peeps here look into BLIS I don't know anything about that insurance tho..

I self paid for my surgery, while it was in the APPEAL process. I had my surgery in SoCal.
My surgeon told me IF there were any complications from surgery he would discharge me ON PAPER

Re-Admit me with the diagnosis "leak" or whatever...and my insurance would cover it. What a relief!

If ya head out to Mexico for VSG...SAME THING..altho the insurance co. will may tell ya, they won't cover yer complications once yer back in the U.S. ...they ALWAYS wind up payin the bills sooner or later!...that's why you pay them every month!

btw...I won on appeal! 100% covered ;-) and was reimbursed ALL of my $

Super good luck to ya!!

My cousin just had self pay and the surgeon office offered a policy to cover any complications resulting from the sleeve. It was $1200.00 extra but well worth the peace of mind. Ask your surgeon.

My self pay package included a 30 day coverage for any complications. I believe the policy is called BLIS. You may want to check in your area for doctors that offer this.

I am a self payor, and I am going to call my insurance company tomorrow to see IF there are any complications will they cover and extra night in the hopsital..


Susan

I self-paid in Mexico, came home and winded up in the hospital for gastroenteritis four months later.  The hospital stay was about $25,000, and other than my usual deductible, it was covered in full.  Even though my illness was related to my surgery, they had to cover it

Thank You everyone!!!! I am going to ask some more questions of my surgeon when I have my consult with him.  I have never heard of BLIS, I am going to do some more homework on this. I will also triple check with my insurance, I knew that I would get some good info.