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  1. #1
    Gastric Sleeve Member
    I have not had a gastric sleeve.
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    Default Cost Mexico vs US?

    I am considering gastric sleeve and am trying to evaluate costs between having it done in the U.S. through insurance and going to Mexico and paying cash.

    My insurance requires me to pay $5000 plus my deductible and then 20% so I'm looking at right around $10,000. I've seen prices between $4,000-$5,000 for the procedure in Mexico. I'm assuming that's just the surgery and I would also need to budget for a passport and travel expenses. Is that correct?

    Can anyone who has had the procedure done in Mexico tell me how much it cost you for everything and which doctor you used? I'm a teacher and my deductible year resets September 1 so I'm on a time-crunch to make a decision. If I'm going to do it in the U.S. I need to do it before then. I'm meeting with a surgeon 7/6 but the visit is $300 so ideally, I would like to make the decision before then so I don't waste the money if I decide on Mexico.

    Anything you can tell me that will help me make a more informed decision is greatly appreciated!

    Thanks,
    Cheryl

  2. Gastric Sleeve Surgery With Weight Loss Agents
  3. #2
    Gastric Sleeve Member Sandra3's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
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    Sandra
    Surgery date
    01/20/2016
    Surgeon
    Dr W
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    Default Re: Cost Mexico vs US?

    I was also crunching numbers three years ago, trying to figure out where (and when).

    I was searching between Mexico, Asia and Europe.
    At the end I picked the surgeon in my country of residence because I trusted him the most.

    Cost...it was almost all the same for me. It would have been much cheaper to do it in France (around 5000$) but the requirements needed me to stay months in the country and I couldn't since work is in Asia (but those requirement are only for me because I'm French, people who are not under the national insurance (who go private) don't have to follow those. A lady from London had surgery in France, she posted the same price). Mexico, I was interested by several surgeons, one I really liked (Dr Alvarez in Piedras Negras) was around 8000 at the time but including flight plus hotel I was over 10 000. In Tijuana there's several surgeons I liked too, they were a little cheaper and seemed really good.

    But there is two things to consider here.
    - if you have surgery overseas are you covered back home if you have an issue post-op? because a few people said on the forum they were not covered in case of complications.
    - unless you are near the border, having surgery in Mexico means you won't have access to post-op with your surgeon, meetings, nutritionist etc..

    It's a complicated decision.

    At the end, I was lucky because my insurance did refund me, I was able to follow "my insurance protocol" for all pre-op exams and to be accepted by our insurance for a full refund. I think I only paid for my private room and a few pre-op exams that my suregon did several times and got refunded only once. No big deal. But I didn't know until it was accepted and was ready to be self paid if they refused my application. Cost in Asia was a little under 8000 if I remember well. I was very happy I picked my surgeon and his team, they are wonderful. I received amazing care. I'm leaving the country in a few weeks and will be sad not to have their support anymore, even if I know I can always email them any question.

    But I do wish I could have done the surgery sooner, and since I lived in Phoenix so close from Tijuana, if it has been the right timing at that period of my life, it would have been a great option, no doubts.

    Good luck!


    HW : 150 kgs
    09/02/2014 : 142 /1st apt
    01/20/2016 : 134 /surgery
    01/30/2016 : 130 /1st post-op
    02/27/2016 : 126 /2nd
    04/23/2016 : 118 /3rd
    07/16/2016 : 109 / 4th
    10/01/2016 : 103 /5th
    01/21/2017 : 98 /1 year post-op
    February 2017 : 100 lbs lost
    07/22/2017 : 96
    10/21/2017 : 93
    12/22/2017 : 91
    01/02/2018 : 96!! regain (medication)

  4. #3
    Gastric Sleeve Member
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Tracey
    Surgery date
    03/06/2017
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    Dr. Verboonen
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    Default Re: Cost Mexico vs US?

    I went through internationalfacilitators.com. My surgery was $3500, however when I got there I paid another $500 to have it done in the hospital vs his clinic. So the total surgery cost was $4000. Other then flights I had no other expenses. I chose to move to a hotel in San Diego for the one night hotel stay required on day three rather then stay at the one in Tijuana that they pay for. I just preferred to do some touring. My husband stayed the two nights in the hotel there and he said it was nice. Most of them will provide transportation from the airport to Tijuana.



  5. #4
    Gastric Sleeve Member Christie13's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
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    Christie
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    11/03/2016
    Surgeon
    Dr. Wright
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    Default Re: Cost Mexico vs US?

    Mexico is the cheaper route. Also, if you go through your insurance what is the requirement?? I know I had to have 6 months of supervised weight management through my insurance. So if that is the case for you as well (and most do have some sort of requirement like that...I think the shortest I saw was 4 months) then your best option is Mexico as you won't meet that September deadline. You can contact your insurance and they will tell you the requirements.



  6. #5
    Gastric Sleeve Member
    I have not had a gastric sleeve.
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    Default Re: Cost Mexico vs US?

    Quote Originally Posted by Trastan View Post
    I went through internationalfacilitators.com. My surgery was $3500, however when I got there I paid another $500 to have it done in the hospital vs his clinic. So the total surgery cost was $4000. Other then flights I had no other expenses. I chose to move to a hotel in San Diego for the one night hotel stay required on day three rather then stay at the one in Tijuana that they pay for. I just preferred to do some touring. My husband stayed the two nights in the hotel there and he said it was nice. Most of them will provide transportation from the airport to Tijuana.
    Is that International Patient Facilitators? I want to make sure I'm looking at the right site.

  7. Gastric Sleeve Surgery With Weight Loss Agents
  8. #6
    Gastric Sleeve Member
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
    Name
    Tracey
    Surgery date
    03/06/2017
    Surgeon
    Dr. Verboonen
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Last Activity
    05-24-2018 10:11 AM
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    Saskatchewan Canada
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    Default Re: Cost Mexico vs US?

    Yes with Dr Verboonen. Sheri Burke is the contact.



  9. #7
    Gastric Sleeve Member carlaTX's Avatar
    Surgery date
    07/07/2017
    Surgeon
    Galileo Villarreal
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    Jun 2017
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    08-04-2017 06:14 PM
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    Default Re: Cost Mexico vs US?

    I booked my revision surgery, lap band to sleeve via weightlossagents for surgery July 7 2017.

    (They are a medical tourism agency that matches you up with surgeons in Mexico.)
    The cost for a revision surgery is 5400. The cost for a sleeve is around 4 k. The cost includes everything except your plane fare to a border town. They will pick you up at the airport, take you to pre op testing and a motel the first night, take you to the hospital the next day for the surgery. You stay in the hospital 1 night and then move back to the motel for the following 2 nights. On day 5 you do a final check, barium swallow, and they drive you back to the airport.
    You will need a passport.
    More details are on their website.

    Weight Loss Agents are ok. Their 'agents' who call you will probably not be able to answer your in-depth questions, they just send you canned answers. For this reason you will definitely want to do your research in locating a surgeon that has done many surgeries and has a low complication rate. I did not feel comfortable until I called and spoke with the surgeon.

    My lap band was put in April 2009 and worked well for awhile, but like most others, the band got less effective over time and I got pretty tired of throwing up. Allergy season was the worst for that!

    The last couple of years I have gained about 40 pounds and discovered I had a thyroid issue. I could have kept on with the lap band but I wanted to be able to eat all foods again without throwing up. (only the portions will be small)



  10. #8
    Gastric Sleeve Member
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    Default Re: Cost Mexico vs US?

    Today gastric sleeve is being listed on Google for like $4000, which is I guess is the price.

    Cost is $14k in the United States. I've heard that it can cost $11k in like North Carolina.

  11. #9
    Gastric Sleeve Member vivalabetsy's Avatar
    I have not had a gastric sleeve.
    Surgery date
    12/14/2017
    Surgeon
    Dr. Ismael Cabrera
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    Default Re: Cost Mexico vs US?

    I know this is super late, but it might help someone else with similar questions.

    I am paying $4,800 for my VSG with Dr. Ismael Cabrera with Mexico Bariatric Center. The cost includes the surgery, pre-op testing, pre-op and post-op care, 1-2 nights in hospital, 2 nights in a luxury hotel, a driver to take me to and from the airport, and accommodations for my friend who is going with me to make sure I'm taken care of and that no one takes a kidney--basically everything except the flight.

    I've seen prices for this procedure range from $3K to almost $7K in Mexico. American costs (without insurance), on the other hand, usually range from $14K to $23K.


    HW: 322
    SW (12/14/17):306 (-16)
    Month 1: 290 (-16)
    Month 2: 279 (-11)

  12. #10
    Gastric Sleeve Member
    Surgery date
    12/01/2017
    Surgeon
    Dr. Luis Cervantes (https://renewbariatrics.com/gastric-sleeve)
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    Nov 2017
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    Default Re: Cost Mexico vs US?

    It is still via Mexico. Based of my research here is a comparative list of recent costs:

    United States Canada Mexico United Kingdom Australia India
    Gastric Sleeve Surgery $19,100 $15,425 $3,899 $14,200 $14,500 $6,000
    Gastric Bypass Surgery $25,000 $15,800 $6,299 $14,200 $3,500 $7,000
    Gastric Balloon $8,500 N/A $4,500 $5,050 $3,500 N/A
    Duodenal Switch $27,000 N/A $8,000 N/A $3,500 N/A
    Gastric Banding Surgery $15,000 $14,000 $5,500 $7,400 $2,700 $6,000
    * Prices pulled from 8/17 from various online sources (clinics, online aggregators) reporting prices.

    Taken from: https://renewbariatrics.com/cost/

    Based on my personal experience, I paid almost US$4,500 through my surgeon affiliated with Renew Bariatrics: https://renewbariatrics.com/gastric-sleeve/.


  13. #11
    Gastric Sleeve Member Kindle's Avatar
    I have had a gastric sleeve.
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    12/20/2013
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    Ariel Ortiz & Arturo Martinez
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    Default Re: Cost Mexico vs US?

    I paid $7000 to go to Mexico. That included preop blood work, cardiac workup, surgery, 2 months postop medication, 1 night stay in hospital, 3 nights at the Marriott for my sister and I and airfare for both of us. My cost in the US would have been $7150 (my max OOP) with a surgeon with lesser credentials and far less experience than the Bariatric Surgeon of Excellence I had the privilege of having in Mexico.



  14. #12
    sraebaer
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    Default Re: Cost Mexico vs US?

    $10,000 with insurance? That sounds crazy high! I was self-pay and paid $14,000 in the states. Maybe research another surgeon in the states, along with researching Mexico, as yours sounds unusually high.

    Good luck with your decision.

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