Self-pay options

Hey guys. This is my first time in this forum (although I have been on OH for almost 5 years researching surgery). Originally I wanted the DS. I still think it is a great surgery but since I now have to self-pay (had medicaid but my new job caused me to lose that opportunity) I think the sleeve will be a better option for now.

Do you guys know of a great surgeon for a great price? 

If you go by price alone, there are some good surgeons in Mexico.  If you want to stay in the U.S. Texas seems to have the lowest cost for the sleeve.

Dr. D. Kim - Texas Banding $10,500, Sleeve $12,300, Bypass $19,000 *All Fees

Fort Worth Lap Band - Texas Banding $9,900, Sleeve $12,000, Gastric Pleat $12,500, Bypass Revision $9,750

My Bariatric Solutions - Texas  Banding $8,950, Sleeve $10,950 , Bypass  $18,350  *All Fees (Lay-a-way plan)

New Beginnings Surgical -Texas Banding $9,724, Sleeve $12,532, Bypass $19,115, Band 2 Sleeve $15,277 *All Fees

Nichols Clinic - Texas Banding $9,900, Sleeve $12,200, Bypass $17,200

TLCEdge -Texas Banding $8,590,  Sleeve $9990  *All Fees

Weight Loss Specialist of Northern Texas - Texas Banding $9,950, Sleeve $10,950, Roux-en-Y $18,836, Duodenal Switch $22,750

Center for Obesity Surgery -Texas $8,999 Sleeve, $7,999 Lap Band

 

Dr. Pleatman - Michigan Sleeve $11,200, Roux-en-Y $13,900 *All Fees

I have noticed Texas seems to be the cheapest in the US. Seems like the last one on the list has changed their prices thought. The sleeve is 10500 now. 


Do you know of great doctors in Mexico? Personally, as long as they are good surgeons and well recommended, I am ok with Mexica. My husband is skeptical but he just wants me to be ok.

The Mexico forum can probably give you more info.  Just make sure you choose a surgeon who operates in a hospital, not from a clinic, and one who has done lots of procedures.

I am self pay as well, and decided against Mexico.  While complications are rare, they DO happen.  I rather pay an extra $5K now and have a surgeon who can help me locally (and who offers post op insurance) than a doctor who is too far away to help me should problems arise.  Complications can be financially devastating.  

The Mexican doctor I considered was Dr Aceves.  His sleeve is $8700 (and he cleared me for surgery after I filled out a 10 question questionnaire....seriously?!?!?!).  Dr Kelly  and a few others are a lot less.  Just outside of my personal comfort zone.

The initial questionare is more of a filter - you get to do a MUCH more detailed medical history plus bloodwork, EKG and chest X-ray, plus an interview with an internist and the anesthesiologist before he'll actually pick up a scalpel.

I'm in Mexicali right now with my hubby, who was sleeved by Dr Aceves on Tuesday, (He did mine last June) so I'm obviously biased, but I have to say mine was the best hospital experience I've ever had (and I've had several) and Barry wouldnt be here if we hadn't both been impressed last year.

Kelly-Anne

I would just feel much more comfortable had he requested all that testing to be done before I even were to fly down.

That's fair.

The EKG etc confirm to them in a concrete way that the person is a good surgical candidate. Because Barry is 63 (and possibly because of the 3 BP meds he's on) he was required to have had a normal EKG within the previous year to pass the initial screening. There are probably other issues that would have extra requirements.

We're from Canada, where aftercare is covered by our provincial health plans - including any complications. The down side of our system is that there are only 2 surgeons in the country that do self-pay WLS. (Would have cost twice as much as Dr Aceves, and our GP would still be doing our aftercare)

To have publicly funded WLS in Canada requires that strict BMI and comorbidity requirements be met. Barry wouldn't qualify at all, and I was turned down because at 258# they didn't think I would lose more than 10-15# with surgery. I gained some back, then decided to make my own choice.

Our choices, then, were Quebec, the US, Mexico or stay fat and on drugs.

 

Their questions really are not complete enough.  I had a history of blood clots (pulmonary embolisms) and that was never addressed, even after I brought it up.

Another votes for Dr. Aceves if you choose to go the Mexico route.