Negotiate rates?

Hi, that is what I am quoted for. I hear so much about all of the procedures that you can get in Mexico for half the cost. In America, I would not negotiate a rate. You are paying for the years of expertiese. I would like to go to Mexico but am too afraid of the politics, gangs, violence and obductions.

teresa

I have gone to Mexico twice and have had 3 surgeries with Dr Sauceda.  He is amazing!  It's very safe in the area where he does the surgery.  His driver picks you up at the airport and takes you to the Hampton Inn.  Dr S will pick you up for surgery and take you back.  You stay at the clinic as long as you need to after surgery. And then to the Hampton Inn until you go home. I felt very safe.  I never go out after dark and I leave all my valuables in the safe at the hotel.  I think you have to go where you're comfortable, but I feel it is just as safe there as it is in the bigger cities in America. I really wouldn't go out after dark in some of the larger US cities either. 

I would never have had the money to pay for surgery if I had stayed in the states.  My quote for a TT and brachioplasty was $18K - and that was the least of 3 consults.

With that type of surgery you're considering, you are best suited to be within driving distance of your surgeon. These larger truncal contouring procedures have high complication rates and it is generally a poor decision to consider traveling out of the country unless you live near the border. Please note there are currently 3-4 active threads on patients dealing with significant wound or seroma complications from their recent surgeries, some many weeks removed from their initial operation. 

These complications happen to all of us who operate on massive weight loss patients and can be tricky to manage. Not having your surgeon able to see, evaluate, and treat your complication on short notice is problematic.

Dr. Oliver,

I just checked out your site (I live in Alabama, too), and just wanted to say that you do VERY nice work. I'll have to keep you in mind for any future surgery. I very much appreciate when surgeons take the time to stop by this forum and post. It's very helpful. Thanks!

I don't know if you can negotiate with a surgeon over his or her fees, but you should get some other prices from other surgeons. Fees vary widely, even within one area. I'm having a TT (extended) in Pensacola, FL on June 7th. It will be done in the hospital with a one night stay, and my price is only 5500. However, my surgeon is very fast with TT's and enjoys doing them, so she is less expensive than some other surgeons in the same area.

I agree with what the Doc who posted here says, too. I went to Costa Rica for a facelift, but a TT carries a higher risk of complications, so I decided to have it done in the U.S., just in case. Also, the price here for a TT is the same price that I was quoted in Costa Rica, so I'd rather recover at home for this surgery. For facial work, I'd go back to Costa Rica in an instant, but since it's the same price here, and since complications are more common (just look up traveler's medical insurance rates if you want to see what surgeries carry a higher risk), I'll stay home for the TT.

Look up some residency programs for even better rates, if you like. It's a great option, and one that I would consider for myself if money were a huge issue for me.

Actually, I'd feel more comfortable with someone having their facelift done out of the country then an abdominoplasty, brachioplasty, or thigh lift. I say this for 2 reasons:

1. a facelift wouldn't significantly increase your risk of a blood clot (DVT), while the body contouring procedures do. This is an issue with prolonged travel that you might have to do in the weeks following surgery out of country.

2. the major complications you see from a facelift (bleeding, skin loss, or wound breakdown) are usually apparent early after surgery, where you'd presumably still be near your surgeon. The ones from body contouring (seroma or wound breask down)  can be weeks before they flareup

Thanks everyone for the input - I just didn't know what the "norm" was and I was thinking the quoted amount was good and wasn't going to "negotiate" but just was seeing what everyone else would do.  Working on the financing part of it now - hope to have it done in May.  I've had experience with this surgeon before and he's so nice and makes me feel so comfortable that I couldn't consider going to someone else, even if they were cheaper. 

Shop around a little, keep a paper trail for insurance purposes. Mine was $5100.00. Best of luck to you.