Pay Cash for Surgery

Has anyone paid cash for their surgery with no insurance involvement? Does that push the process on a little faster since you don't have to wait for an approval from the insurance company? I'm just looking at the options right now and I may be able to get things going a little faster. I'm just tired of being miserable. Thanks!

Misha, If you have the money to pay for surgery without dealing with all the BS of insurance I say go for it.  Your best bet is to go south of the border to have the procedure.  It is cheaper and from my research there are some very competent surgeons there.  Unfortunately, I am not able to self-pay so I have to play the insurance game.

Thank you. I see that you are in Columbia and I wondered if you happen to know the price of Dr. Strickland's gastric bypass? I have attended one of is seminars before but at that time I had Medicaid and they didn't accept any Medicaid. Also if you could give me some info on some of those surgeons you researched? Anything would help.

Misha, I am going through Dr. *****ett's office.   I do know that a typical bypass in surgery in the U.S. can cost anywhere between 25,000-30,000 dollars.  If you go to Mexico you can have a lapband or bypass between $10,000-$17,000 all inclusive.  I will recommend that you go to the South of the Boarder forum on this website and post the question on what dr was used.  Or you could go under find a bariatric surgeon in Mexico.  Usually there is a website that can answer your questions.

The charleston doc up here... dr bryne does cash and from what he said... they do zip that process right along for you. But if youre insurance excludes WLS from coverage and you pay cash, any future complication may not be covered...just FYI as some folks on the board have had that issue arise after being cash patients. either way you go... GOOD LUCK!!!!

Hi Misha, you might want to interview my surgeon, Dr. Balder in Conway, SC.  I was self pay for lap band, but I still wanted the most experienced doctor available locally.  I paid about the same thing I would have paid in Mexico and got the most experienced lap band surgeon in SC.  The experience has been very successful, about as risk-free as possible with wls.  Good luck to you!  Happy New Year!

Thank you very much for that information. I looked up the number and gave them a call. I'm supposed to be driving out there for the seminar on Jan 15 and I hope things work out. My grandmother is so skeptical about going some place other than MUSC but I have to think about my health right now. Did you have any type of problems with Dr. Balder or any of his staff?