WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT -- $4,000 PROGRAM FEE!!

Do you know if you have lap band anywhere in your post you will be viciously attacked and abused on the main forum? I am not sure why there is extreme hatefulness, bitterness and lashing out at those who want a band. It does not make sense to me as a pre op. But I see it frequently from the same cult members...lol.

Bull****! You don't have to have lap band to be "viciously attacked" as you put it. But post some pure stupidity and you can bet you will get your fair share. So how much have you gotten?

I agree a $4000 program fee sound excessive to me, I would shop around. There is no way I would pay that, it sound criminal.

Criminal? Really? Do you even understand how free enterprise works? He can charge what ever he wants and people are free to not pay it. HOWEVER, if someone chooses their surgeon only on how much they charge (i.e. the lowest cost) then they deserve what they get.

I know you've had run ins with people but Hala's response was not even rude let alone a vicious attack. why don't you lose the giant chip that is on your shoulder?

and Jackie's picture was funny

Hmmm. I wonder what the NEXT incarnation will look like?

I can not stop laughing!  That cartoon is hilarious.

 not to mention tasteful, at least considering the alternatives!  but I don't think the OP appreciates that.

Well, that's a massive case of the pot calling the kettle black.

1) Do yourself a BIG favor and unblock Hala;  she's a really smart  and helpful person.
Even if you chose never to respond to her again, she's got some good info and is willing
to help others.

2)  Do yourself an even bigger favor and look at a different WLS;  I've seen too many people
here on this site who have serious complications, regrets, and even revisions.  While there
are some successful band folks, I personally would rethink a decision to band. I am not a "band
hater", but there have been too many problems with it. I had originally considered the band
but my insurance would only pay for the RNY. I'm really glad I went for the RNY, but it was
my only choice.

3)  Find another surgeon.  There are a lot of really good WLS surgeons.

Best wishes for your success,

As I said before...

I agree that the "program fee" thing seems unfair---but try to look at it this way. Your insurance company is NOT going to pay any more for a revision than it is for a 'virgin' WLS---yet a revision, especially from an RNY, requires a higher skill set. In other words, the surgeon has had to invest more of his time in training---time he COULD have spent making money doing less complicated procedures---yet they don't want to pay for that extra skill. Revision procedures also take more OR time to do, so the surgeon is ALSO losing money he could make doing two shorter, easier procedures during the time he'll be spending doing your more complex procedure.

Yes, for the patient is sucks, but you can't entirely blame the surgeons.

Dr. Keshishian IS the best. There are other revision surgeons who don't charge program fees, and there are WLS surgeons who don't/can't do revisions who do charge program fees.

Cardiac and cancer patients' doctors are probably far better paid by the insurance companies than WLS surgeons are. i know that when I had my DS, Medicare was paying only $200 more for WLS than it did for gall bladder removal.

Disagree with you.  I have talked to four insurance companies this afternoon and in general, they are LIVID.

So because the doctors have to work harder and they think they have to work harder on revisions, we have to pay out of pocket?  That doesn't fly because first timer bariatric patients are being charged too.

I'm taking this on for those who CANNOT afford it.  It's ethically wrong.

You always have the option of going elsewhere. I could have had an RNY for NO out-of-pocket at all, but I chose to pay my surgeon's fee---$7500---because I wanted a DS instead. Did it hurt? Yes it did, and I *could* have flown half-way acros the country and seen a different DS surgeon who accepted my insurance, but I wanted a surgeon closer to home.

You could try Greenbaun in NJ---he's good, and I don't think he charges a program fee.