To Those Who Did Self Pay.....

I understand many self pay because they don't have insurance....but did you self pay for WLS surgery even though you had insurance that would have paid for another procedure?

I have insurance that will pay for RNY or Lap Band.  In any case, I would like to have VSG procedure which is not covered by my insurance.  There are so many pros and cons with both, and ultimetely I will decide what I want.

Am I crazy for wanting to shell out $10,000 for this surgery when my insurance wil pay for RNY or Lap Band?  What do you think?

Some people want what they want. But heck no would I ever do that! No NO NO. I'll take free please!

Hi...

What is VSG? What ins. do you have? I want the RNY..but am still trying to get insured.I am headed in the righ direction now, been on the phone for 2 days trying to figure out how ins. works.We have never had it,now that we are getting older thought we would get some.

Good luck whatever you decide..                  Kimmeroo

Hi Kimmeroo,

Please let me know if you do get private ins. and what  I need to do. i am new to this maybe we can help each other.

Debbie

I called my insurance (Pacificare POS HMO) and the guy was really nice and said that VSG wasn't covered but he had been getting a few calls about this procedure lately. He said that even though it wasn't under the covered plan and they do cover WLS with the Lap BAnd and RNY all I would need for my doctor to do is send in a letter stating why the other 2 surgeries will not "medically" work for me. So basically he said I needed to explain why this surgery rather than the other 2 is better for me "medically." He made it sound easy but of course I haven't gotten that far yet. We will see after May 6th if that changes!

Hi Tracy...
Hope you get wha you want! Is your ins. reasonable..I don'tmean to be nosey..I just am learning what s good and wht isn't..I have ni idea what a decent premium is...any help or suggestions welcomed..

                                      Kimmeroo

Sorry it took me so long to reply but I am not that sure about my insurance yet as I have only been with them since January 2009, and my premiums are paid thru my employer.

Yes!  I am in the same boat as you are.  I could already have had my surgery and had it fully paid for, if I was willing to have RNY or lap band.  Absolutely NOT an option for me.  I ONLY want the VSG and will pay for it out of pocket.  Since this is a decision I will have to live with for the rest of my life, I am NOT going to have a procedure that puts a foreign body in with high risk of complication requiring re-operation down the road or a malabsorptive procedure that I don't want.  So I have resigned myself to paying ~12,000 for the VSG.  I suppose I could wait........as it is my belief that more insurance plans will start covering the VSG, but I don't feel like I can afford to wait any longer.

Best wishes.

I hope that I don't have to weight until 2010. I am hoping that I can use the scar tissues from the 4 C-sections as a prop for my refusal of the other 2. Honestly, I don't want to think too hard with the lap band (I know that's too lazy but I can do Jenny Craig for that), and RNY I don't have a real problem with because my mom and sister had that one. I know I should be approved for the surgery period so my task that lies ahead is to get approved for VSG.

You know the more that  I read and do the research on the various WLS, I think I would rather have the VSG too. I would rather have evrythibg stay where it is, and i am afraid of the possible complication's down the road,like hernias,gullbladder,ulcers,blockages..ugh,I only want to have surgery once. Thanks for your replies! Take Care.

                                                    Kimmeroo