I need weight loss surgery but can't afford it

by Tania King
(Unity, Canada)

I am a 39 yr old who has been desperately needing weight loss surgery but I am cut down every way I turn because I'm told that I don't have a life-threatening illness.

Apparently I'm not being considered because I don't have diabetes or high blood pressure and because I am active.

My partner lost her job, my hours have been cut by 30 per pay period and I cant afford to pay for surgery on my own. I'm also told that I need to see a psychiatrist as I may not be mentally ready either.

I'm told too many differing things and I just want my life back. Is there anyone willing to give me a chance and help me?

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I need weight loss surgery but can't afford it

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Suggestions
by: Jeff

Hi Tania,

The first step towards determining whether weight loss surgery is appropriate for you and would be approved by any surgeon would be to calculate your body mass index (BMI) to determine whether it is high enough to make you eligible for surgery.

If your BMI is over 40, you do not need to have any serious health problems in order to be approved by your surgeon.

Assuming you have insurance that covers bariatric surgery, the requirements will be similar to those of responsible bariatric doctors, including a BMI above 40 (or above 35 with serious obesity-related health problems), a psychological examination (this is required for everyone, not just for surgical candidates that a surgeon feels is not mentally prepared for surgery or its repercussions), a nutritional evaluation, a recommendation from a doctor other than your weight loss surgeon and proof that you've participated in a clinically supervised weight loss surgery program for a certain length of time. You'll also need to be sure that your surgeon and their hospital is included in your insurance plan's network.

If you don't have insurance or your insurance won't cover it, you have several options to make it more affordable including weight loss surgery financing and/or financial aid for surgery.

You can follow the links above for more information about each topic, and if you haven't done so already, review our Bariatric Treatment section to learn all about weight loss surgery and whether it's truly the right option for you.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the "click here to post comments" link below.

Take care,

Jeff

There are ways
by: Mindy

I was in the same boat as you when I first started my weight loss journey , I was "healthy' other than being over weight. I was active, held a job, etc. We were able to pay our bills but that was about it. Our credit was shot so financing was not an option, and I had no insurance.

So what do you do to get a $12,000 surgery?

Here are a few tips I can give you:

1. If your credit is bad, fix it . Easy, huh? Well, yes and no . Pull your credit report. Chances are there is a lot of info on there that is wrong. Dispute it (online never on the phone) As things fall off your credit your score will come up.

2. If you have some small items on your credit score that can be paid off, pay them. Again your score will come up.

3. I got a part time job cleaning houses and all the money I made went to my surgery .

4. Self-pay surgeons are going to be more "flexible" about what you have to do in order to qualify than others.

5. If you can clean your credit score up enough to get financing approved you can finance your weight loss surgery.

Hope that helps a little. Sometimes it takes a while but it's worth the wait - I had to wait for 2 years!

Canada NEW
by: Rosanne

Hi, since you live in Canada and they have socialized Medical Care isn't surgery free? Maybe I misunderstand how that works?? Rosanne

i need help!!! NEW
by: kathy siafrakas

Hi, im in need for a gastric sleeve operation. IM in Sydney and a single mother on the disability pension because of my obesity. im 43 years old and weigh 175kg.Everything is going wrong with me in health, i cant stand more then 3 minutes now...im at home 24hours a day 7 days a week. Please someone help me as i cant afford the operation.

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