post op insurance LAP BAND

Hi all! This is what I was told by a US surgeon in NJ that I am looking to (If insurance is denied by UHC its off to Mexico for me!) #1 If you have the selfpay Surgery done in Mexico without US insurance , and down the road you have problems that require Dr intervention (additional surgery) our US insurance will never pay. #2 His complaint about the surgery being done in Mexico- is That the Dr DO NOT use the FDA approved Band.....they all use substandard band. 3# The Surgery notes that are provided to our US Drs' for Fills by the Mexican surgeons are substandard. He stated that he never gets a full complete surgical procedure write up your surgery, just some short brief note.

I had complications post RNY and my ins. company will NOT pay for the surgery I had in NYC... so I owe around $30,000. I would say, though, that it depends on your insurance. Mine had a written exclusion for any WLS AND and complications arising from them, so I knew this fact in advance, but never dreamed it would be an issue! As far as the surgical notes, mine looked pretty official. As a lay-person, I didn't understand most of the technical jargon, but it appeared professional and complete to me. Sorry I can't answer your #2, since I didn't have the band. Good luck. Traci

P.S. Michelle (MV) had complications, but her insurance DID pay for treatment... you might want to contact her.

I chose a Mexican physician who uses the INAMED band. It is the same band used in the U.S. My insurance does not an exclusion for WLS complications. You can find out what surgery note forms you would like your physician to follow. I am sure that he would be happy to comply with your wishes.

Hi Christopher, I had a severe UTI and kidney stones and insurance paid the ER bill post-WLS in Mexico but it would be hard to say definitively whether WLS was a factor in those complications. I actually did suffer from kidney stones prior to surgery. However, strictures, blockages, etc. would (more than likely) be as a direct result of surgery so it's possible that you would be stuck with the bill. It is definitely the risk we take going to Mexico. As for the surgical notes, my doctor was extremely thorough but I'm sure that will vary doctor to doctor. Good luck to you in your journey, ~Michelle

My husband and I had RNY with Dr Rumbaut in Monterry Mexico. He had a complication post-surgery (his own fault) where he yanked out his gast. tube in his sleep. We ended up in the ER in Mexico so that they could take care of it. We weren't billed a penny. Dr Rumbaut really takes care of his patients. The only thing we've needed post-op was blood work and that we paid out of pocket because we don't have any health insurance. But that was only $80 each. Bridget

#1 So is the doctor trying to tell you that if you self pay in the US insurance that refused to pay for the surgery is going to pay for any complications from it? That doesn't even make sense. #2 I wonder where he got that little tidbit? I am sitting here looking at the box my Inamed band came in. My surgeon gave it to me and when I was ready to leave he asked where it was. I had left it in the hotel room. He personally sent someone to retrieve it so that I would have numbers I might need. 3# My surgery notes look about like all the other surgery notes I have ever seen but I wonder why someone doing a fill would want to see them? I have my fills with fluorscopy and if I didn't all they have to do is find the port. Also many surgeons don't even do the fills themselves. They often use Nurses or physicians assistants. I think your doctor is totally misinformed. Cassandra

My insurance has a written exclusion on WLS and complications that May happen. However , I plan to proceed with WLS. I actually wonder how many surgeons in the us resent consumers decideding to go to a surgeon south of the border. After all we are consumers of their services and we are making a choice to pay some one else for their services. I wish that I knew how many where having to make this sort of choice in thier health care. I work in a hospital and sometimes my doctors notes are not all that great and they also do delagate tasks to their nurses and pa's that we are paying them to do! Sounds like the doctor was misinformed.