Complicating factors to my DS

Lisa, FYI, Dr. Anthone, whom Walter mentioned above does take Medicare.  He also does an open DS AND he's completed surgeries with situations like you have.  So you may have more options than you realize.  He's in Omaha, Nebraska.  I'm sure you can find his contact info on dsfacts.com  .

Agreed. 
Lisa, I will also add that Dr. Anthone accepts the Medicare-plus-Medicaid combo as full payment, meaning he does not have a program fee like Dr. Keshishian does.  (And Dr. Rabkin flat-out won't do a DS on anyone with Medicare.)

So, then the problem becomes funding travel to Nebraska.  It's within the realm of possibility that with legal assistance, your state Medicaid could be convinced to pay for your travel to Dr. A.  Each state has a designated protection and advocacy legal office for people of its state with disabilities.  The one for your state of Utah is disabilitylawcenter.org/ .  Check out their website, and then possibly inquire with them if they will take your case, if you are interested in a second opinion with Dr. A.

Sounds like nonsense to me. 

BEFORE my DS:  
1.  Cholecystectomy (Gall bladder removal)
2.  2 C Sections
3.  Open laparotomy with a gyn-oncologist

Dr. Buchwald:
TOTAL VSG DS
Repaired Hiatal Hernia (NEVER HAVE HAD REFLUX AGAIN)
Repaired ventral incisional hernia from the open laparotomy

Get an experienced surgeon. 

Kit Kat

I am going to throw my hat in the ring and ask you to look into Dr. Anthone.  As was said, he takes Medicare/Medicaid combo.

I think Dr. Simper is an up and coming DS surgeon but what he's telling you is BS.  All of the very experienced surgeons will either switch to open or recommend open to begin with if there are a number of internal problems that they are aware of.

I had numerous open abdominal surgeries and a previous WLS so I had a ton of adhesions! My surgeon that usually completed an open virgin DS in 11/2 hours spent something like 6 1/2 hours on me but I came out with a full DS, even after a take down of the staples from my previous WLS,

I wish you well,
Michele

And just to add one more opinion to the confusion, there is NO increased risk of doing your surgery open except for increased risk of incisional hernia. In fact, given that you probably have adhesions from the prior surgery, doing your surgery open may well be LOWER risk, or even the only possible way to do it safely. I don't understand what Dr. Simper is saying about open surgery at all. 
     With any laparoscopic surgery, there is always the chance that it might need to be converted to open surgery. There is no shame in the surgeon converting to open surgery for your safety. And the lap surgery is exactly the same as the open surgery except for the incisions, in other words, all the important stuff done on the inside is the same. I would recommend that you discuss this issue with him again, and let him know that doing your surgery open is acceptable to you, esp if it's the difference between DS or not DS.

Larra

 I say find  a way to get to Dr. Gagner in Canada... 

 
Lisa, you're getting some great advice here.  I'd say you need to do what's best for you...

But, I've heard more experienced surgeons and revisionists clearly state that adhesions and scar tissue are no problem; that they expect it with women who have had previous surgeries such as c-sections, tubal ligations and the like, and that they're ready for them.

Also, statistically speaking, "greater risk" means little in terms of possible leakage.  Is your risk .002% as opposed to .001%?  Or, is is 50% instead of 10%?  That would be important to get clear about with your surgeon in advance.

I would get in writing all of the outcomes you could expect, and under what conditions:  DS, sleeve only, sleeve/RnY combo.  As you can see from your previous hiatal hernia surgery, doctors can make whatever decision they want to once they get in there.

I hope everything works out well for you!

i had more scares and hernias from my lap fundy surgery than my opnen ds,  I will op for open surgery in the future over a smiley face lap proceedure any day,  doctors can take their play toys and go to another sandbox.