Question:
no insurance or collateral

But I have a cosigner, my mom! so do you know of any finance company's that will do it like that?    — witchywoman (posted on August 19, 2005)

August 19, 2005
Go to your local bank(s) and see if there is a short term loan that you can take out. Also, I have seen people say that they get a home equity loan for the payment of their surgery.
   — ChristineB

August 20, 2005
Hi, You have a couple options when it comes to financing a surgery. Most of the info re: medical loans is for people seeking cosmetic/plastic surgery (which I know WLS isn't, but I am guessing they would have the same rules/guidelines for lending money). If you have good credit, you may be able get a credit card(s) and charge it, although this is probably the least economical choice due to the high finance fees. One company that I know does medical/dental loans is Capital One (http://www.capitalone.com/healthcarefinance/index.php). If you go to a search engine and search for loans, plastic surgery, medical, financing, etc., you will come up with several companies who do this kind of financing. Also, you might want to check with the doctor who would be doing the surgery. I was looking to have a non-covered surgery (absolutely necesary to me but considered "elective" by my insurance company) and found that several of the doctors I consulted with had a list of a couple companies who offered financing/loans for uncovered medical expenses. It seems like fewer and fewer banks are willing to offer unsecured personal loans (loans w/o collateral). None of the local banks in my area offered them but the bigger chain banks (Fleet, Citibank, etc.) did. Sorry the information is so vague but hopefully it will give you a place to start from. Best of luck, Sid
   — mrsidknee

August 20, 2005
I don't know about co-signed credit, but I do know that I was able to use finance companies. I did however, have to spread the total over 2 companies as no single bank would loan me what I needed. And I think you probably have to work with them both at once so that they don't know the other is lending you that type of money. I can comfortably aford the repayments but it will take a while. In my case it turned out that I was beginning to devolpe liver problems so it turns out that it was a good idea I didn't wait to save even part of the amount. Saving even part of the amount will bring down the cost of your financing and will look better when going to apply for credit.
   — Jenny X.