Self Pay DS surgeon in PA/NJ/DE area?

[Onelastshot]

Had the lap band in 2009 and it was removed in Feb 2016. I am on my external review appeal with my Independence BCBS Personal Choice PPO. If that falls through, I will need to self pay. I have no idea how I will do this, but I need to start somewhere.

Can anyone recommend a surgeon for self pay of the DS? Thanks in advance!

 

[DianaCox]

Greenbaum.
http://www.duodenalswitchdoc.com/about-dr-david-greenbaum.html

 

[Larra]

Dr. Greenbaum has an excellent reputation. There are a couple DS surgeons in PA also but they only do the DS on patients with a bmi over 50. There is no one in Delaware.
If Dr. Greenbaum doesn't work out, your best alternative would be Dr. Esquerra in Mexico.

 

[Onelastshot]

Thanks. I just called Dr. Greenbaum's office. Between him, hospital, and anaesthesia, etc. it will be about $15,000. That might as well be a million dollars, but at least I know what I am working towards.

 

[Larra]

15K is the cheapest self-pay you are going to find in the USA. Mexico might be a bit less, there are other people here who would know.

 

[Clematis]

Laparoscopic DS with Esquerra in Mexicali was $11k last fall (I don't know if it still is). Add to that your airfare to get to San Diego. (They provide transportation to/from SD airport.)

Does Greenbaum do Laparoscopic for $15k or only open?

 

[southernlady]

There are a couple DS surgeons in PA also but they only do the DS on patients with a bmi over 50. There is no one in Delaware.

One exception I know of that rule is if you are a full blown diabetic. Not pre-diabetic.

 

[galaxygrrl]

Dr. Greenbaum's price seems really low for a DS, I called a bunch of places and went Esquerra in Mexicali. It was 11K. So, just to ease you mind, everyone I talked to who went to Mexico, started the process with: "This Mexico idea is crazy" and so did I but in the end, it was the most rational choice out there. Everyone in my area and beyond was $30k plus. Just make sure they quoted you the DS and not the sleeve. For 15K I would have gotten my DS done here with Dr. Greenbaum. I think the hospital care would be at least 10K to be honest.

There are a couple other doctors in Mexico that appear to be good - and work mostly on Mexicans, but what I liked about Dr. Esquerra is that this board has vetted him extensively, there are lots of people here who have been been helped by him.

To be honest, my take on the whole thing is I wanted a really good doctor for the surgery, but I also wanted an awesome PCP doctor who new about the DS for the after care. That was the harder piece for me to find.

Good luck!

 

[DianaCox]

From last year, from someone who was researching:

http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/if-you-were-self-pay.2874/page-2
(for a 4 day hospital stay)
Dr. David Greenbaum, $13,000 Open, removes gallbladder and appendix. You have to pay for separate pre-op testing like EKG, psych eval, blood work, etc... locally, before approval.From last year, from someone who was researching:

 

[galaxygrrl]

Wow, that is cool. I might have done it with Greenbaum had I known that, but I would not super excited about an open DS. I do think the post op travel time is a big deal though. The flight from San Diego to San Francisco is just over an hour. I would not want to have it be much longer.

Good luck, I do hope you insurence covers it. Good luck with that.

 

[-Flo-]

I just had VSG to DS with Greenbaum in April it was 24k. The hospital charges were about 10k because he requires 5 nights in the hospital. I'm not sure why @Onelastshot was quoted 15k, maybe that is not including the 5 nights.

 

[galaxygrrl]

I just had VSG to DS with Greenbaum in April it was 24k. The hospital charges were about 10k because he requires 5 nights in the hospital. I'm not sure why @Onelastshot was quoted 15k, maybe that is not including the 5 nights.

care and


That seems more correct. This surgery is still a product in a marketplace and the marketplace sets the price. The problem with the US is our malpractice costs are so high, they add so much to the cost of the operation. I would assume a virgin DS is more with Greenbaum.

This board challenges assumptions all the time, I'm not sure why no one would question 15k for a DS in the US. It just does not make sense with the market.

That said @Onelastshot, I thought Mexico was a perfectly fine experience. I got excellent care

 

[Jbandmmomma]

When I spoke with him in Fall of 2011, he was only performing the DS as an open procedure. That wasn't a deciding factor for me, the surgery and the skill of the surgeon were more important than lap or open.

 

[southernlady]

I considered a couple of different DS surgeons back in late 2010 before I had mine in 2011. Being open didn't worry me. I had a partial hysterectomy open. Greenbaum was one of them, another I considered who has SINCE retired was Dr. Macquire in Ohio.

 

[Butterfly]

Dr. Greenbaum's price seems really low for a DS, I called a bunch of places and went Esquerra in Mexicali. It was 11K. So, just to ease you mind, everyone I talked to who went to Mexico, started the process with: "This Mexico idea is crazy" and so did I but in the end, it was the most rational choice out there. Everyone in my area and beyond was $30k plus. Just make sure they quoted you the DS and not the sleeve. For 15K I would have gotten my DS done here with Dr. Greenbaum. I think the hospital care would be at least 10K to be honest.

There are a couple other doctors in Mexico that appear to be good - and work mostly on Mexicans, but what I liked about Dr. Esquerra is that this board has vetted him extensively, there are lots of people here who have been been helped by him.

To be honest, my take on the whole thing is I wanted a really good doctor for the surgery, but I also wanted an awesome PCP doctor who new about the DS for the after care. That was the harder piece for me to find.

Good luck!

I just want to tell you, "This Mexico idea is crazy!" is something I've said to myself quite a bit. But, if the local doc doesn't work out for me I'll be following your lead with Dr Esquerra. I hate to pay for it myself, but I could get a home equity loan for that amount. I hope you continue to post about your experience!