Question:
If you are having another surgery, gall bladder, is it possible to do WLS with it?

If you are already having surgery of another type, gall bladder surgery, is it possible to have a surgeon do the procedure while you are already down? And approximately how much would this cut the cost?    — Renee C. (posted on June 21, 1999)

June 21, 1999
My doctor is doing the VBG and gall bladder removal at the same time. $6,000
   — Alyce K.

June 21, 1999
Most Dr. do the GB removal at the tine of WLS as the GB usually fails after WLS. If you are haivng GB removal the WLS fee should be greatly reduced as you will not have the accompanied hospital cost. They will be included with the GB surgery. I was denied insurance coverage for WLS and one of the ways my Dr. tried to help was to remove the GB, then all I would have to pay for was the surgeon fee.
   — Donna D.

June 21, 1999
Yes, you can have gall bladder surgery and weight loss surgery at the same time. My surgeon routinely removes the gall bladder as he did with me (I had gallstones). But it doesn't really cut the cost of either one. The surgeon will still bill your insurance company as much as he thinks he can get away with.
   — dboat