Re: Doc info-please respond

[Guest guest]

April,

I may be naive, but I am always amazed at how little WLS costs compared to

other surgeries and procedures. I think my surgery, net of any hospital

bills which are quite a different story, was in the $3500 range. Any doctor

can hang out a shingle and say they do liposuction for the same price. Look

how much a crown costs at the dentist. Of course there are " mills, " but I

just can't buy the notion that any surgeon who takes on this complicated

surgery, with its huge risks, need for follow-up care, etc., would be in it

" only for the money, " any more than any other doc. It's hard to get paid

for, the best of us are higher surgical risks, etc.

Just my $.02

in Austin

RNY April 1998

Doc info-please respond

> Hi everyone! I am basically a lurker, but jump in every once in

> awhile. Just a little info about me - I'm in the Houston area, will

> be 2yrs post op 6/18 w/ RnY, have lost about 155 pds.

>

> I started going back to college to get a degree in Business

> Management and here is where I need your help. I have a small

> research paper to do this month and since we can pick our topic (has

> to be business related) I thought I would do a paper on wls. How

> does this relate to business you ask??? Well, as we all know wls is

> becoming more and more available to the general public. I would

> venture a guess that this means that there are docs out there who

> are seeing this as a $$$ making venture, not a life-saving cause. I

> would also guess that there are docs that when they first started

> offering wls, had the very best heart but have become " jaded " by the

> insurance companies, etc. There are other doc's that have been and

> are still in this because they see the value in saving people's

> lives. I want to show that this is not just a cosmetic thing or

> something that the person that does not have a medical need for wls

> to have, although I have heard of docs that will do wls on people

> who have only 50-80 pds to loose.

>

> What was your experience? Do you feel that I am just thinking this

> stuff up or is it something that you have experienced yourself?

>

> My personal experience was that I started out w/ a group. Felt like

> I was being herded through the process like so many cows. Ended

> having wls w/ a private doc, was not a number to him. Still in

> contact w/ him and his office staff. As a matter of fact, I plan on

> contacting him and asking the same questions.

>

> If you would like to give your opinion, I would love to have it.

> The professor made a statement last night that he has heard so many

> different papers that it would be VERY hard for us to come up w/ a

> topic he is not familiar with. HMMMMM...well, let's just see!!

>

> Thanks,

> April

>

>

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