Many people are finding themselves in a ‘catch 22’ situation these days: they desperately need to have gastric bypass surgery, but they can’t get it since they either don’t have insurance, or the insurance that they have doesn’t cover the cost. There are real benefits to the surgery and for those people who are suffering from severe obesity related health issues, the need is even more urgent. This article will show you what the cost of gastric bypass surgery is which may make it easier for you to decide on the best course of action for you and your health.

Unfortunately, insurance companies seem to be run primarily by short sighted bean counters, people who only look at the bottom line and won’t consider any procedure that will cost money. When it comes to gastric bypass surgery, this short sighted approach is actually costing the insurance companies more money. Why? Because they will be paying to treat diabetes, heart disease, stroke and many other obesity related illnesses for many years. By approving just one gastric bypass procedure they could be dramatically reducing the number of claims they get for the other obesity related illnesses.

One word of caution: don’t automatically assume that your insurance company won’t cover the surgery particularly if you are morbidly obese and have been for many years. Many companies will also do a complete physical, and emotional, workup before making a decision on whether or not to allow the procedure. More and more insurance companies are coming to understand the benefits of allowing this type of surgery, make sure you check with your company.

The cost of the surgery can range from between $15,000 and $25,000. Some clinics who perform the procedure will allow the patient to set up a payment plan, again, it’s important that you don’t assume anything and instead ask the question.

Some people are also having success by going to other countries, such as Mexico, to have the procedure done. In some cases well qualified doctors can perform the surgery much cheaper in other countries due to the fact that they don’t have to pay the ridiculously high mal practice insurance premiums that they need in the U.S. to protect themselves against frivolous lawsuits.

If you opt to have your surgery done somewhere else it’s very important that you carefully research to find a highly qualified doctor and clinic to perform the procedure. While it’s possible to save some money, you want to make sure you aren’t sacrificing quality or safety.

The bottom line is this: the cost of gastric bypass surgery can be high, but if you are morbidly obese and are suffering from a multitude of other health issues, you should try to do everything possible to get your weight to a more normal level. Make sure you ask questions and don’t just assume that you can’t afford the procedure, you may be surprised at some of the help that is available. Your employer may even be able to provide some help with this issue. Just don’t give up, keep working on ways to improve your health.

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Gastric bypass surgery may sound like a life saver, literally, but if you don’t have insurance, or if your insurance won’t cover the procedure you may think that you have no choice and won’t be able to get the surgery. There has been a lot of evidence to suggest that in the long run an insurance company would actually save money if they covered this type of surgery since the cost of treating heart problems, and diabetes, two common health issues related to obesity, would be significantly higher over a persons life span than the cost of gastric bypass surgery and recovery. Until the insurance companies change their policies many people are having their procedures done in other countries, gastric bypass Mexico is one such option.

Many American doctors have found that they can practice medicine just over the border for a fraction of the cost that it would cost them in the U.S. Why? Simple, one of the biggest reasons for skyrocketing health care costs is the mal practice insurance that every doctor must carry. Thanks to the greed of some lawyers and the eagerness of some patients to earn a quick buck, the number of frivolous law suits against doctors has risen dramatically. That makes every single procedure cost more since the doctor and the hospital have to pay huge premiums to their insurance company to protect them against law suits, the cost of those premiums get tacked on to the price of every single procedure you have done. Did you ever wonder why an aspirin in the hospital costs $6 or more?

Since a doctor practicing medicine in another country, like Mexico, doesn’t have the same restrictions, they don’t need to pay the sky high mal-practice insurance premiums, and they can pass that savings onto the patient. While the quality of care is comparable to what you could get in the U.S., you can get it for much less for this reason.

When choosing a clinic to perform your surgery, whether in the U.S. or Mexico, make sure you take a lot of time and care. Just like any other profession some doctors are better than others and when it comes to your health you want to make sure you choose the best doctor to perform you surgery. The first place you should start in your search for a qualified doctor is by asking friends and family for a referral, than keep checking their credentials, how many procedures they’ve performed, etc until you find the doctor and the clinic that you feel comfortable trusting your care to.

Don’t let the bottom line mentality of your insurance company stand in the way of you receiving a potentially life saving surgery, all you have to do is broaden your horizons and consider having gastric bypass Mexico. If you take time to find a qualified doctor and clinic south of the border, you can not only save yourself a lot of money while still getting the same level of care you would right here in the U.S., you’ll also potentially be saving your life. That is certainly worth a road trip!

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If you are one of the millions of people who are morbidly obese and you are desperate to find a way to lose the weight as quickly and safely as possible so that you can help save your own life, you have probably considered having some sort of gastric bypass surgery. When someone gets to the point of considering surgery one of the first questions they ask are what are the gastric bypass surgery cost?

Of course, many people will tell you that you can’t put a price tag on good health, which is true, but you still have to be able to come up with the money to pay for the surgery which can range widely in price based on your physical condition, the exact type of procedure performed and even your location, the cost will generally average between $15,000 and $35,000.

Some people have even traveled to other countries to find doctors who will perform the surgery more cheaply ( one reason is that U.S. doctors have gotten so burned with frivolous lawsuits that they have to pay enormous premiums for their mal- practice insurance and that cost is passed on to the patient for every procedure that is performed).

One thing that you need to look into is whether or not your insurance company will cover the expense of the surgery. Many people mistakenly believe that since this is elective surgery that their insurance won’t cover it, just like many plastic surgery procedures aren’t covered, the truth is though that more and more insurance companies are starting to recognize that obesity almost always leads to other life long health issues and that the cost of the one surgery may actually be less, a lot less, than continuing care for heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.

If your insurance company does cover the cost of the surgery they will likely have some pretty strict guidelines as to who will be covered and who will not. For example, many companies will only consider people who are at least 100 or more pounds overweight, people who have been overweight for at least the last 5 years, and people who have demonstrated a real commitment to trying to make lifestyle changes in order to control their weight but have been unsuccessful.

Another cost you will have to consider is the significant lifestyle changes you must be willing to make after your surgery. You will have to drastically alter your eating and drinking habits and despite what many people think, you can gain weight after the procedure if you aren’t careful to eat right and get enough exercise. This isn’t a quick fix.

Gastric bypass surgery cost isn’t just about the dollars and cents of the procedure, it’s also about what you can gain if you were to achieve, and maintain, and healthy weight and lifestyle. If you are morbidly overweight and have tried to lose the weight but haven’t had any luck, you may want to seriously consider having this surgery. Just be willing to make the needed changes and you may be on your way to a much healthier lifestyle.

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