How much $$$ for self pay?

I went to Mexico and had surgery with Guillermo Alvarez. He is an excellent surgeon who operates in a hospital that has an icu and cardiologists etc, he's not a strip mall surgeon. You stay two nights in the hospital and two nights in hotels which is all part of the overall price, which is $8500. They do the leak test while you are still in the OR after the surgery, so there are no drains. He has a surgeon of excellence rating, and VSG is pretty much all he does. He does a maximum of 4 surgeries a day. I definitely recommend him.

I am scheduled for VSG on March 2 in Tijuana, Mexico.  My insurance does not cover ANY Bariatric Surgery, so I am a self pay.  My sister had her VSG last July and her billed price was well over 30K, but insurance cost was slightly more than 15K.  I am using A Lighter Me and Dr Elias Ortiz and my cost is $4,400 and $275 for round trip airfare (this includes ground transportation to and from San Diego airport, 1 night pre surgery and 2 nights post hospitalization in the Marriott, all surgery costs and 2 nights in the hospital).  

Price depends on where you live and where you go; if I had to self pay here in AL with my Doc it would've cost a about 12,000 if I'm remembering correctly but I was thankfully insurance approved but that took one denial and another waiting period then another 6 months worth of visits so it took me 2 years to get insurance approved I still owe a little over 1,000 for the remainder of the 20% that my insurance didn't pay.  Good luck.  I read someone mention Dr. Alvarez above and he has lots of youtube videos that have been helpful to me, I have read about him on the VSG boards before.  I love my Doc but if I had to travel Dr. Alvarez seems to be a great Doc. link to one of his videos that I've watched before https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv8X6H_jLgY

I so would go to Mexico to do it but I just know my husband will not want me to do that.  I'm still going to try and get a referral was just curious in case! And to give me incentive to keep fighting! LOL

OMG so excited! Doc just called and they did give a referral!!! 

Good to hear. Good luck

In CT it ranges from 16k - 27k depending on the doctor and the hospital. Mine was 20k and I shopped around a lot until I found a doctor that I was most comfortable with. He wasn't the cheapest, but he was the best based on my research and initial meeting. 

I would recommend researching a lot of different programs in your area. Many have free informational sessions and you can ask all kinds of questions before committing to one practice. 

18k here in Nashville. This includes my post op appointments, any complications that may arise 90 days after surgery, and lifetime access to dietician and exercise specialist. 

I don't know where you are located but tricare does not cover VSG unless it is done at a military hospital. I believe Balboa in San Diego you can self refer if you feel you qualify. Just search around. Im overseas and haven't went through the process but it says retirees and active duty qualify. good luck

Congratulations on your referral!