Self pay question

Have  exhausted all Insurance possibilities in the past 1 1/2 yrs (they had exclusions), so I must now try to get together $25,000 to Self Pay!  My question is this......to anyone who has done Self Pay, were you ever sorry you wiped out that much money from your savings? The Insurance Policy also states that they will not cover any future issues stemming from WLS.......has anyone had to deal with this also.....so afraid any health issues I  might have in the future will be labeled 'caused by WLS' and they get away with not paying for those!  This is now happening with my husband's Kidney Failure!  One more question........honestly......those who had Insurance....if you were declined.....would you have Self-Payed to get your health back? Guess I need to feel like I am doing the right thing.  By the way, I am 57 and work full time.

 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  Those are some tough questions.  The only comment I can make is...  How much are you willing to pay for better health?  If you are self paying I  would make sure the Dr is a perfectionist.....   Knowing what I do now about WLS I would take steps to do whatever I could for the  surgery.  I'm sorry to hear your insurance has exclusions.  Best Wishes on your decision.  Millie

HI there,

I was a self pay. My husband and I both had really good insurance but both of our places of employment had exclusions for WLS. We took 30,000 out of our retirement. And it has been the best investment we have ever made! My insurance ended up paying for lots of the pre tests, and dr. appt. They also kicked in unexpectedly for the anesthesia, I couldn't figure out why but didn't question. It still cost 30,000. I think what they kicked in was the part of my surgery that had to do with previous surgery I had done on my esophagpus (had to be undone) I have had NO complications and no trouble with insurance paying for other health issues. My doc said that the insurance companies ususally balk at the complication "directly" related to the surgery. Like strictures, and things like that. They thought at one time I had gallbladder problems after surgery and insurance didnt blink an eye to pay for the ultra scan etc.
So...for me, and we are not wealthy, by any means, this has been money well spent. We also got to take off the expence on out taxes. I have not once thought about the money we spent and I am a money worrier.
So.....that's my story and I''m sticking to it! I would have done this again in a minute. It has changed my life!
Another plus, is I got to get in fairly quickly. No insurance hoops, just the surgeons requirments.

Good Luck,
Cheryl

Hi
  I second what Cheryl said............my surgery cost 29,000........had it done 7-30 so am still going over bills...........but I've already lost 12 lbs and my feet and back don't hurt when I walk and I have so much more energy, even though it's only been 13 days since surgery !!  It was time for me to invest in myself............it will take me 2 yrs to pay it all off but I am glad I will have the energy and health to do it.  ( I am already off my blood pressure meds and next week go to see how my sugars and cholestrol are doing)
Best investment I've made since college for the kiddos
Linda

you bet if i would have had to now i would borrow money to have RNY in a heart beat my life is so much different now.
OH i was 65 when had surgery and now am almost 68 havent had any problems other than joint issue and was having them already.
Altho i would borrow the money i would go to Mexico to have surgery is half the price and is an american hospital with american trained doctors etc.  I have a really good friend that went that route and did just fine. said the hospital was well equipted and they knew what they were doing . She is an RN

Oh hell yeah. I'd sell my house to have paid for it. For sure. We don't think twice about borrowing for a car or a house, but hell when it comes to our health, we think we can't spend the money. Honey, you gotta live.

Thanks so very much to all that replied to my post. It is a big decision. I hate the thought of having credit card debt again, and not having any savings.  We lived like this for many years before selling our house.It took almost all of the profit to pay things off.   But this is my LIFE  I am talking about, and the thought of trying to live it feeling like I do, my job consist of standing 8-9 hours a day, I don't know if I can keep up the pace at 300 lbs.  My husband of 40 years hopefully will get a kidney transplant in the  future and I need to be healthy to make it thru this and take care of his needs. You guys give me much needed encouragement, am going to St. Vincents on Thursday morning and talk to the financial people and see if I can make payments on the balance that I don't have.  Also going to call Merryll Lynch and see if I can get some of my 401 K on a Hardship Need for Medical Bills.  Thanks for listening!