Self Pay prices in the US
you will probably save about 10k and up going to Mexico, Brazil, Canada, or Spain for the DS, with the DS vetted surgeons. that is a decision you will have to make and no one can make if for you, for some traveling out of the country for surgery even to save 20K is not an option and stay in the states. Whatever you do, make sure you go to a vetted surgeon. it really is not a question of who is good, all the surgeons in those countries are good, it comes down to what you are comfortable with. good luck with your journey
A vetted surgeon is a surgeon that has received the proper training (with a vetted surgeon) and preformed a certain number of DS procedures. There are lots of bariatric surgeons but a limited number of vetted surgeons. Using a non-vetted surgeon puts you at increased risk for serious complications and even death. The surgeon's listed on DS facts are vetted surgeons.
http://www.dsfacts.com/duodenal-switch-surgeons.html
http://www.dsfacts.com/duodenal-switch-surgeons.html
On October 5, 2011 at 7:43 PM Pacific Time, sandyv63 wrote:
http://verdugohillshospital.org/hospserv_bar.aspI found this online.
Fo' Shizzle My Sizzle
on 10/5/11 3:11 pm, edited 10/5/11 3:12 pm
on 10/5/11 3:11 pm, edited 10/5/11 3:12 pm
Another thing to consider if you get surgery outside of the USA is if your insurance will cover any complications arising from surgery when abroad (even if they don't cover the WLS itself).
I self-paid due to an exclusion, but opted to have my surgery in the USA for several reasons. One of which was that my insurance- while it would not cover WLS- would cover complications if anything went wrong afterward but ONLY in the United States. The second I crossed that border, all bets were off and I would have had to purchase additional health insurance to cover that gap.
Sometimes you have to look at the whole gestalt and think about just how much you'd be saving by going to Mexico between travel expenses for 2 people (I'm assuming you're not going alone), arranging for aftercare in the USA with another doctor if your surgeon doesn't provide it via long distance, the possiblility of an extended stay due to complications, and the possibility of needing to purchase additional insurance for medical tourism.
I self-paid due to an exclusion, but opted to have my surgery in the USA for several reasons. One of which was that my insurance- while it would not cover WLS- would cover complications if anything went wrong afterward but ONLY in the United States. The second I crossed that border, all bets were off and I would have had to purchase additional health insurance to cover that gap.
Sometimes you have to look at the whole gestalt and think about just how much you'd be saving by going to Mexico between travel expenses for 2 people (I'm assuming you're not going alone), arranging for aftercare in the USA with another doctor if your surgeon doesn't provide it via long distance, the possiblility of an extended stay due to complications, and the possibility of needing to purchase additional insurance for medical tourism.