How to pay for WLS without insurance?

Hi everyone, Me and My wife was told by our doctor that we have to lose weight. i'm 342lb and have fatty liver. My wife has high blood pressure. We looked into WLS to find out our insurances does not cover it. The cost is around twenty thousand, something i don't have lying around. What can we do?????

It is cheaper in Mexico and I think there is a group here that share good information.  I would look into that.

thank you for replying. any information is greatly appreciated

Pretty much all insurance should cover WLS if your doctor says it's necessary and your BMI is 40+ or co-morbities with 35+.

If you don't have insurance, buy ObamaCare for a few months, have the surgery which should be covered, then drop the insurance if you can't afford it.

Thanks Jmuldune i was thinking about Obamacare but i'm not able to find any information to see if it is covered. i'm sure it is i just like to see it in writing first. thank you for the reply

this is not true. All insurance companies cover it,BUT,ones employer has to buy the rider that provides the coverage from the insurance company.

if the rider is not bought in the package,it is considered an " exclusion" and the plan won't cover it,no matter what the BMI or medical necessity is. 

My insurance only covered it for a one year period.  I think they picked it back up last year for a certain number of patients.  I think it should be a mandatory coverage for insurance companies.

Could you take out a loan, second mortage or borrow from a relative?  My dad was going to loan me the money prior to our insurance covering it for that one year period.

Good luck and like Price said I think it is cheaper in Mexico and if you both need WLS you might can get a better deal depending on the type of surgery you decide on.  You will need follow up care so make sure there is a doctor around you that will help you out if you need some help.

Linda

I have insurance through healthcare.gov, I tried two different plans and found out they say they cover bariatric surgery but they didn't cover the gastric sleeve which is the only surgery I am interested in. Many plans through healthcare.gov cover the gastric bypass surgery.  Nothing against the RNY or DS; I'm afraid of the malabsorption issues that are a part of these surgeries. 

I am going to Mexico at the end of the year and paying out of pocket.  There are medical finance companies that will loan the money for medical procedures not covered by insurance.  Be sure to do due diligence when conducting your research of  those as well as the doctors and hospitals in Mexico. Medical tourism = big money in Mexico, and quality docs and hospitals are taking advantage of it. 

You will need a passport or passcard. 

I picked A Lighter Me, cost is between $4400 and $4600 for the gastric sleeve, hospital tests, hotel and transportation  They provide transportation shuttle service between the San Diego airport/hospital/hotel.  Airfare depends on the airline, time of year you will be traveling, etc.  I highly suggest working with a travel agent and paying for travel insurance.  Total time in MX is 5 nights/6 days.  They are kinda pushy to get you booked for surgery, but if you take your time and investigate they will work with you and answer all your questions. After you are released from the hospital you will be booked into a nearby hotel (Marriott) and someone from A Lighter Me will come to your room to check on you.  Be sure to check with your US primary doctor regarding follow-up care BEFORE having surgery.  You may need to prompt your PCP to get more information on weight loss surgery if they don't know a lot about it.  

There are other doctors and clinics throughout MX and a good Google search is invaluable for conducting research and finding a doctor and hospital that meet and exceed your needs.  I live in AZ so I picked a hospital in Tijuana because it's less than a 2 hour flight.  That was important to me.  

Good luck in your research and I hope you find something that works for you and your wife.    

I had my surgery in Mexico in 2012, now I need a revision to bypass. I'll probably need to go back to Mexico seeing my insurance won't cover the revision with three surgeons saying its detrimental that have this surgery. Since having the sleeve, I've developed a hiatal hernia, and the muscle in my esophagus that holds food in my stomach no longer works, so it goes into my lungs when I lie down. It's horrible having to sleep sitting up. The stress from the insurance company not covering the surgery is making things worse. I wish you luck with your sleeve.

Thanks. I hope you are able to get the surgery you need to get relief.