Self pay

Hi to all,  I am brand new to this sight as of this morning.  I have been researching the lap band,  and am pretty sure that I will be a self pay customer.  Any advise from other self payers,  such as surgeons,  and post op care?

I just thought I would respond to you also, as there is another doctor in north bend, OR. Dr. Tersigni who is also very good. I do insurance billing and several other types of medical office work. His self pay price is $12,500. He has an out patient day surgery at north bend medical center and is considered a center of excellence. I have also delt with the surgery center in portland which is legacy good samaritan. I did not like my experience with them. I can elaborate if anyone wants.  Dr. Tersigni's office staff are very professional and friendly, and 2 of his personel have had surgery from him. He has a web site Bay Bariatrics.  Check it out I think you will be quite happy with his results and care.

"I have also dealt with the surgery center in portland which is legacy good samaritan. I did not like my experience with them." Can you elaborate please? Thanks, ~Melissa

Welcome to the Oregon message board! We don't know where you're planning to have your surgery.  If you're planning on OHSU in Portland, then here is OHSU's policy regarding self-pays (taken from its website): Self-Pay Options: If you do not have insurance, or your insurance will not cover bariatric surgery, you have the option to pay for the bariatric surgery services. Please call our Bariatric Scheduling Coordinator at (503) 494-1983 for price information. Our policy requires that all visits must be paid in full prior to the service, and that the surgery fee (including surgery, anesthesia and hospitalization) is required two weeks prior to the date of surgery. Here is the link for OHSU's Surgical Weight Reduction Program: http://www.ohsu.edu/health/page.cfm?id=10085 I know for sure that Drs. O'Rourke and Wolfe perform the lap band surgery.  But Dr. Deveney does not. Hope this helps and best of luck in your research!

Welcome!  Be sure to check out the lap band forum here as well as the forums for other surgeries.  You do a disservice to yourself and your care if you lock yourself into a surgery this early on in your research. That being said, I've been banded over two years and I love it.  I wouldn't change a thing. Anyway, since you've got a Dr. T and an OHSU representative, I'll step up for the Legacy Obesity Institute (the one at Good Sam).  They're a wonderful group of people but for self-pay Dr. T has all of them beat -- but, with aftercare being critical to lap band, travel time and time off from work are also considerations so it may swing you back up to the Portland area. Good luck in the rest of your research.  Any questions, just ask! Lori

Hello and welcome to OH!  I just wanted to share with you that my hubby and I were both self-pay and we both used different surgeons. First my hubby did MUCH research and decided on the Vertical sleeve gastrectomy.  Our ins. BCBS through the State of Oregon would only pay for him to have a Lapband or RNY.  The RNY was way too drastic for him and he did not want to have to deal with fills and possible complications from lapband.  So he chose to go with the VSG and he self-paid $17,000 with Dr. Feng (lapSF) and another $3,000 for his co-pay on the tests leading up to surgery.  He has had 1 1/2 years of excellent results, losing 120 pounds and reaching his goal weight in just 8 months.  All of his co-morbidities are cured (sleep apnea, very high BP, high cholest., severve leg and foot pain and others). Then, I decided even though I had a lower BMI 35.5 and no co-morbidities (YET!!) I was getting a VSG also.  I wanted to feel and look as good as him and be able to stay healthy for our 3 children.  He had continued to visit OH and had done much research on all the surgeons he could and told me about Dr. Guillermo Alvarez in Mexico that he was sure was as good (if nt better) than his US surgeon.  A friend had just used Dr. A and was very happy, also.  I had my VSG 6 months ago and have lost 81 pounds and am 4 pounds below my goal weight.  I paid $10,000 for surgery and $420.00 for 2 round trip airline tix. What I'm getting at, is that you have to be sure that the surgery you choose fits your lifestyle and that it is one you can stay commited to.  Make sure that the cost is not THE deciding factor in your choice.  Make sure you have completely researched your surgeon and hospital and follow-up care. Best of Luck to you in your decision.  Oh, and by the way I have needed no follow-up care but when I saw my GYN I asked him to order labs and they were excellent! 

Hi, I also was a self pay and went to Coosbay and had doctor tersigni and everthing went great.. surgery was November 9th and I met him the first of October.. His charge was 10,000 and for labs and ekg and his consultation I think it was another 1,000.. If you email them they will send you a packet back.. I live in Seaside Oregon so the drive was long but I guess they have people that drive farther than myself..  good luck