ORTHOPAEDIC & MEDICAL COMPLEX

You might be reading this because you are facing a situation where you’ve tried everything you can, but despite all of your efforts your weight is still out of control. One possibility to keep in mind is a surgery referred to as lap banding. There are however some things you may want to keep in mind. First there are a number of conditions you have to meet ahead of time though. There are a few guidelines regarding this procedure that the National INstitute of Health NIH has established. You must be older than 18, you must have a Body Mass Index or BMI of 40-80 to start with. Also you may be qualified if you have certain pre-existing medical conditions that affect your situation. One of the other requirements is that your doctor has already worked with you directly on a diet and exercise program without any success. Because of some of these requirements, others may be interested in looking elsewhere for this procedure. Other countries my have lower up-front costs associated with this procedure, but there may be other costs that you might not initially consider. The cost for this procedure will come directly out of your pocket, and it can cost around $8500. Something else to keep in mind is the cost of air travel, as well as hotel stay, and any dietary restrictions you have while on your trip. Another consideration has to do with your checkups. You many need to make arrangements to return to the place of surgery, or else work with a doctor close to home that is willing to help out. Regardless of how you handle it, you’ll need to be sure that it’s all set up ahead of time. If you want the surgery in the US, it can cost up to $14,000 dollars. That’s at a minimum though, you also have to consider other costs like hospitalization, surgery costs, labs, followups, operating room costs, and the costs of any complications. It’s possible that your health insurer will cover the costs of the surgery. It really just depends on who your insurer is, and how your plan is set up. The best thing is to contact your insurer to be sure. If you have some condition that causes weight gain, this is something insurance companies are more likely to cover. There’s a lot to look into, but a good place to start is to find out if you are covered under your health plan. Weight your options. You might be thinking that getting the surgery done in Mexico is the best, but just be sure to check everything out first.