For You Lap Banders
Hi Fellow Quebecers!
I am seriously considering doing the Lap Band surgery with Dr. Pierre Leclerc at Hotel Dieu Hospital. I have met him already and he has approved me and it can be done as soon as February or March of 2009.
For those of you who have been banded and went the public way, were you required to pay for the bandl? The surgery is covered by RAMQ, however I have to pay for the band. I've already submitted my papers to my insurance and am hoping it will be covered.
Hope to hear from you :)
Hi damonalisa,
I'm looking more into VSG but as far as I know, everyone must pay for the band in QC. I believe it ranges from $5K-6K but I might be wrong.
Are you self-paying Dr. Leclerc? That's really fast for WLS surgery in QC if RAMQ is paying. If not, do you know if he does VSG? When did you meet with Dr. Leclerc originally? (sorry to bombard you with questions!)
Do update us and let us know if your insurance covers the band, I know it will help a lot of people.
Thanks!
I'm looking more into VSG but as far as I know, everyone must pay for the band in QC. I believe it ranges from $5K-6K but I might be wrong.
Are you self-paying Dr. Leclerc? That's really fast for WLS surgery in QC if RAMQ is paying. If not, do you know if he does VSG? When did you meet with Dr. Leclerc originally? (sorry to bombard you with questions!)
Do update us and let us know if your insurance covers the band, I know it will help a lot of people.
Thanks!
Hi trustno1,
RAMQ are paying for the surgery itself. I am only expected to pay for the band which is $5100. I have already submitted my papers to my insurance, but I don't know yet whether I will be covered or not. I will definitely keep you updated.
I met Dr. Leclerc last week for the first time. I called in November to get an appointment, and I could of seen him on November 17th if I wanted to... but I needed to get my referral from my GP and was only seeing her December 1st. I was really surprised as to how quickly I got an appointment. I am pretty sure he performs solely Lap Band, and not privately either. He is currently at Hotel Dieu hospital, but he said that he might be changing hospitals shortly, as he wants to develop of whole team of professionals as right now, it's him & his nurse.
I will be attending a further information session with his nurse on Saturday at the hospital so I will surely give more feedback.
:)
Lisa
RAMQ are paying for the surgery itself. I am only expected to pay for the band which is $5100. I have already submitted my papers to my insurance, but I don't know yet whether I will be covered or not. I will definitely keep you updated.
I met Dr. Leclerc last week for the first time. I called in November to get an appointment, and I could of seen him on November 17th if I wanted to... but I needed to get my referral from my GP and was only seeing her December 1st. I was really surprised as to how quickly I got an appointment. I am pretty sure he performs solely Lap Band, and not privately either. He is currently at Hotel Dieu hospital, but he said that he might be changing hospitals shortly, as he wants to develop of whole team of professionals as right now, it's him & his nurse.
I will be attending a further information session with his nurse on Saturday at the hospital so I will surely give more feedback.
:)
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
Fingers crossed that your insurance comes through :) If I could be a pain - if you remember on Saturday, could you ask if he performs RNY or VSG too? Or if he plans to with his move to another hospital? Such a short wait is amazing, for any WLS in QC.
I'm trying to gather as much info about possible docs as possible, I don't have a GP, so I'll be heading to our local clinic (what I use as my GP, only go when I'm sick or need a doctor's note) over the holidays when I'm off to get the referral. At this point, I really want the sleeve (VSG) but if I can find a doctor with a short wait that I don't have to go the self pay route, I might take RNY.
Good luck, I can't wait to hear how it goes on Saturday!
T :)
Fingers crossed that your insurance comes through :) If I could be a pain - if you remember on Saturday, could you ask if he performs RNY or VSG too? Or if he plans to with his move to another hospital? Such a short wait is amazing, for any WLS in QC.
I'm trying to gather as much info about possible docs as possible, I don't have a GP, so I'll be heading to our local clinic (what I use as my GP, only go when I'm sick or need a doctor's note) over the holidays when I'm off to get the referral. At this point, I really want the sleeve (VSG) but if I can find a doctor with a short wait that I don't have to go the self pay route, I might take RNY.
Good luck, I can't wait to hear how it goes on Saturday!
T :)
Hi T,
Can confirm to you that Dr. Leclerc only does Lap Band.
The information session was held by his nurse and it was very informative. I was glad to hear that there is a support group for post-op patients because I want and need that. I don't have any news yet from my insurance as to whether they will cover the cost or not, but at this point my mind is already made up.
Hi Everyone,
Just so that you know, when I was looking into the band option for me, I made the request and was told by my insurance company that the band itself is covered by my insurance but they don't cover the surgery, however the RAMQ will cover the surgery.
So don't worry, it will be cover. I also have to tell you that my insurance has a clause stating that for surgical equipment and the band is part of this, they have a maximum of 10,000$ for life. So if I use 5,000$ for the band, I am left with 5,000$ for other equipment I might need in the future. I figured use the money now and if I need something after I busted the maximum 10,000$ then I wil pay for it.
Since then, I have done more research and discovered that I no longer want the band but I want the vsg instead. I am on the waiting list and should be call in the spring 2009.
Take care!
Sylvie
Just so that you know, when I was looking into the band option for me, I made the request and was told by my insurance company that the band itself is covered by my insurance but they don't cover the surgery, however the RAMQ will cover the surgery.
So don't worry, it will be cover. I also have to tell you that my insurance has a clause stating that for surgical equipment and the band is part of this, they have a maximum of 10,000$ for life. So if I use 5,000$ for the band, I am left with 5,000$ for other equipment I might need in the future. I figured use the money now and if I need something after I busted the maximum 10,000$ then I wil pay for it.
Since then, I have done more research and discovered that I no longer want the band but I want the vsg instead. I am on the waiting list and should be call in the spring 2009.
Take care!
Sylvie
Hi Sylvie / Trustno1,
Turns out my insurance does not cover the cost of the band. I scanned my policy inside & out. But it's ok. Paying for the band out of my wallet will only make me work harder at succeeding.
The doctor the op date should be sometime end of February beginning of March. My next appointment with him is February 19th.
Where are you having the VSG done? Good Luck to both of you!
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
Are you sure they don't cover? I scanned my insurance policy also but never found anything about it. I made a quick phone call to the insurance company asking them to pre-approve something since I wanted to make sure it was covered before I get it done. After a few minutes, the clerck informed me that it was paid with the conditions I mentioned to you before.
Give them a call, just to make 200% sure, because I have the worst insurance company possible and they usually refuse everything else that everyone else cover. (Everyone at work complains about it, but the boss is stubbern and doesn't want to hear anything about it!) So you could imagine my surprise to find out they covered, I asked her to check twice and confirm it in writting and she did!!! That's why, I am telling you make that call, you have nothing to lose.
I am on the waiting list for the VSG at Sacre-Coeur Hospital, with Dr. Atlas, I hope it will be in the spring 2009. I know the wait is long, but then again, it is so worth it and I refuse to self pay for something that is covered by Medicare, we pay enough taxes in Quebec, thefore it's only fair that the government pays for me, when I am entitled to it and I just plain refuse to spend thousands of dollars, when in a couple of years, it won't make a difference when I had my surgery, but at lease, I will not be left short of thousands of dollars that I could put somewhere else, like my retirement plan. That's just me and by all means, I am not judging anyone chosing to self pay, it is just my opinion and it doesn't mean at all that it's right for everyone else, but I know it's right for me.
Take care!
Sylvie
Are you sure they don't cover? I scanned my insurance policy also but never found anything about it. I made a quick phone call to the insurance company asking them to pre-approve something since I wanted to make sure it was covered before I get it done. After a few minutes, the clerck informed me that it was paid with the conditions I mentioned to you before.
Give them a call, just to make 200% sure, because I have the worst insurance company possible and they usually refuse everything else that everyone else cover. (Everyone at work complains about it, but the boss is stubbern and doesn't want to hear anything about it!) So you could imagine my surprise to find out they covered, I asked her to check twice and confirm it in writting and she did!!! That's why, I am telling you make that call, you have nothing to lose.
I am on the waiting list for the VSG at Sacre-Coeur Hospital, with Dr. Atlas, I hope it will be in the spring 2009. I know the wait is long, but then again, it is so worth it and I refuse to self pay for something that is covered by Medicare, we pay enough taxes in Quebec, thefore it's only fair that the government pays for me, when I am entitled to it and I just plain refuse to spend thousands of dollars, when in a couple of years, it won't make a difference when I had my surgery, but at lease, I will not be left short of thousands of dollars that I could put somewhere else, like my retirement plan. That's just me and by all means, I am not judging anyone chosing to self pay, it is just my opinion and it doesn't mean at all that it's right for everyone else, but I know it's right for me.
Take care!
Sylvie
Not that I think this will change your mind Sylvie, and I'm not saying it with that intent - but someone made a point while I was reading the archives and asking questions - when you consider how little you'll be spending on yourself in groceries and take out (we're especially bad for take out, usually 2-3/wk) depending where you go, the surgery pays for itself in 2-4 years (depending on your situation). That was kind of the deciding factor for me. I agree with you on Medicare paying and we should milk the gov't as much as possible, and I will, when I declare the surgery on my taxes in 2010. From what I've read we get about 16-20% back. So I guess, just putting food for thought (pardon the expression!!) out there. Again, if you want to talk, vent, whatever, I'm willing to listen :)
I also had a bad feeling you would hear what you did from Dr. Atlas' office, though I wasn't expecting up to 3 years!!
T :)
I also had a bad feeling you would hear what you did from Dr. Atlas' office, though I wasn't expecting up to 3 years!!
T :)
I DID Make It - 135.4 8-1-10! Now working on post baby weight loss. (All WL post-op - preop got up to 220 from quitting smoking & last supper syndrome.) 5'2"
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