Question on Cost?

This sounds really bad and I am sorry, But I need to have the Lap band operation and my insurance will not cover it so I have to take money out of my 401 K and even take out a loan for the rest... So I am looking for the lowest cost I can in my area... maybe if any of you were self pay you could give me an idea as to the cost? I am in Lincoln Nebraska, So I am checking out states around me Thank you LaDonna

LaDonna, I went to a conference & my surgeon's nurses were there. He just started doing Lap Bands last spring & they haven't done many just for that reason. Most insurance companies consider it experimental. However, & this is why I'm telling you, she said that since it is FDA approved it really isn't experimental & insurance companies are changing. She said that right now there is no code for charging it to insurance but there will be one by the first of the year when the new codes come out. It was their understanding that more insurance companies will be covering it in the next year. If you can wait, and boy, do I know that it is hard, maybe your insurance company will be covering it. She also told me some things that I'm sure you already know but most of us WLS patients don't. I was under the understanding that as a heavy weight (342#) I would not be a good candidate for the surgery because I woud not lose as much as I needed to. This is appearently wrong. She said that the studies show that at 2 years out patients will have lost approximately the same amount. It's just that WLS patients will lose it quicker & then slow down sooner, while LB patients lose it slower but for a longer time. However, she did say that LB patients have to be very diligent about what they eat & how much. Since there isn't a malabsorbtion problem nor do they dump, they have to be very strict with themselves about what they eat. Really, that isn't all that much different for WLS patients as a large percentage of us don't dump either & can eat almost anything so have to be very careful not to eat "junk." I'm afraid that there are only a couple LB patients on the Iowa board since there are so few of the surgeons who do it & because of the insurance issue. I believe that there is a lap band message board here at Obesity Help. If you don't get your answer, check there. They will be from all over the country, and costs vary, but should be able to give you some kind of idea of the costs involved. Oh, a couple months ago I met a gal who went to Mexico to have hers & she is doing great. She had it about the same time I did & has lost 140 lbs while I have lost 170 lbs. She had a good experience in Mexico but I certainly wouldn't have done that. She had a very hard time finding someone to do her fills & flys down there for them. She also had a serious problem once & had to fly down there so he coud fix it. Not for me but she is happy, and like I said, she is doing great. Dixie