Self Payer Concern

My surgery is scheduled for March 20th. I'm very excited and anxious to begin my new life and to finally receive this new tool to help me conquer the challenges of weight lose. I've lurked around on OH and read many things and asked a few questions. I think I've watched every YouTube video I can. I've even spoken personally to people on this forum. I've learned a lot. But, one thing still scares the hell out of me. 

I am a self payer because my insurance doesn't cover bariatric surgery.   I hope and pray everything will go well with my surgery and ill have no complications but I know there are no guarantees. 

Are there any of you who self paid and had complications?  My surgeons office said if anything goes wrong they will re-admit me into the hospital under a different category. Is that the case?  Can they do that?  What happened to you?

I was told - and I asked my insurance this question too - complications would be covered by insurance because it's separate from the surgery. My insurance company hemmed and hawwed and had to research it, but they said they would have covered it.

I decided that if anything happened and they denied it, I'd fight them over and just deal with whatever came my way. I NEEDED this surgery for my life. I have NO regrets.

I was self pay, and I had this concern also. My surgeon assured me that insurance would take care of any complications, though I didn't get any details on how it would be worked out. Turns out there was a hernia repair that needed to be done while in there, and they did bill my insurance for that much and got paid for it. That isn't exactly a complication so to speak, so I can't give you any details on that, but your best bet is to talk to the billing person with your surgeon's office, they should have more info for you.

Thanks. I guess I'm more worried about extended hospital stays and other docs or specialists not involved with my doctors practice.  I'll take your advise and ask the billing person.  Btw - this concern is not stopping me. My health is much more important to me than money. 

You're welcome. I was the same way, I wasn't too worried though, I had complete faith in my surgeon. It's kind of funny though, because I worry about everything. I was afraid I would be freaking out the couple days before surgery but I was at total peace.

Lol. I'm freaking out now!  I have almost two months to calm down .

I think the majority freaks out for a while. I was a rare exception, especially rare because I freak out about everything. I am a worry wart. You will be fine. :)

When I first looked into the possibility of surgery, it was as a self pay (ended up, insurance covered it)--anyway, the site I used was a Center of Excellence, and they offered a self pay-for bariatric surgery procedure  complications policy (sort of like you would buy a one time insurance policy for a plane trip).  The premium was small, and, had I gone self- pay, I would have bought it against any possibilities.  You might ask.  Good luck to you

My dr was a part if the Bliss program which sounds a lot like this. Kinda like a warranty. I paid them $1000 and if any complications happened from the surgery within 90 days, they would cover it in full. I ended up staying an extra day in the hospital and pai nothing extra.

I am actually self pay also and my surgery is 1/31/13. I am not sure if there is any complications if my insurance will pay for it but we think they will as they covered all of my pre-op stuff.