self-pay & insurance

Hi..I'm new to all of this, but I've been considering WLS for quite some time now. The problem is once I graduated from college and was no longer eligible to be covered under my parents' health insurance plan I just never got around to getting a new insurance company. I haven't been fortunate enough to land a job with insurance benefits. I wasn't thinking about WLS as an option and I avoided doctors at all cost. But now I realize that I need to have this surgery to help improve my life. At first I considered saving up and just going the self pay route. Does anyone have any experience with this process? I assume you have to still have to pick a doctor and get a referral to a bariatric specialist/surgeon and then get on a waiting list. I was thinking that waiting until I saved up the money to pay for all of the pre-approval and pre-op appointments and the surgery itself would take just as long as if I went and found independent health insurance. I'm sure the premium I would pay for the 6 months - year of background doctor prescribed dieting before approval and the co-pay/surgeons fees would still be less than self-paying the whole procedure. Has anyone had independent health insurance and could recommend a good provider? I don't mind paying what seems like an outrageous premium when it will save me a lot of money in the long-run. I'm working 50-80 hours a week and putting everything else in my life on hold to save up for this surgery. I've started protein-loading, avoiding carbs, and exercising and keeping a diet journal to potentially help the future approval process. Is there anything more than I can do? Everything I read on here seems to speak to those fortunate enough to have medical coverage through work or by other means..I have to totally start from the ground-up to get this ball rolling, and this is my first step. Thank you so much for any help you can possibly give me! -- Ashley pre-pre-pre-op 24 years old, 375+ lbs (last time I was weighed was over 3 years ago)

Ashley, Hey there. I just wanted to let you know that I am self pay and will be having the surgery on Jan. 19, 2005. I had to get a home equity loan to pay for it, but if you do not own a home there are other ways. The Wish Center offers financing and the payments are supposed to be less than a car payment would be. I am sure that other surgeon's offer some sort of plan as well, you would just have to call and research a bit. I do know from experience that I cannot get independent health insurance. I am 23 years old, 5'4", and weigh 286. I called over 26 health insurance companies, and they all said that I "exceed their weight limit for coverage". Even when I said I didn't care about the premium cost, they refused to cover me. I hope you have better luck finding insurance than I did, and if you do, I'd be curious to know who you went through? Just don't forget what I said about the Wish Center. They have been incredible. All you have to do is go to a seminar, they hand you a packet, and then when you have about 2,000 dollars on hand, schedule your first appt. and have all the financing papers filled out. I know that they take it from there. If you do not qualify for the financing, they do allow someone else to apply for you (i.e. mom, dad, generous friend...) Again, Good luck and keep us updated!! -Phoenix

try your local vocational rehabilitation office - my ins. turned me down and voc rehab payed 100% for my surgery - when you call for appt - stress to them how difficult it is to do your job without wls