SUBMITTED: Friday, June 19, 2009
POSTED: Friday, June 19, 2009
I to believe this is a rip off from my personnal experience.
Yes, the people in the office are extremely nice in both the San Bernardino and Beverly Hills office. And yes, they make you feel comfortable even when you are scared. And yes, if I could have had the procedure done under my insurance than I would have done it; but I made it clear that I was not in anyway going to finance this procedure.
So, they told me everything I wanted to hear plus...your insurance won't pay UNLESS you have stomach problems which require surgary and at which time we can install the Lab Band while we are "correcting" your stomach problem. I told them I didn't have stomach problems, however, the insurance claim specialist at the office said that I should still go to the Beverly Hills office to have it checked out since it would be no charge and it would only be a one day procedure.
Of course, I wanted to have the main procedure because I wanted to be "skinny" and my best instincts went out the door. I knew what she was hinting too...document it with another procedure so the insurance would pay for it and not question it since it would not be a "Lab Band" procedure but instead a "stomach correction due to indegestion" and when they were "correcting" the stomach they would install the "Lab Band" at the same time. They are good with senerios for insurance documents.
I went to the first of 2 procedures in Beverly Hills. This procedure consisted of having a scope down my throat to take pictures of my stomach...mind you I have no problems with my stomach and I said this a couple times. More or less...I went there and went under sleep for less than 5 minutes and no scope down my throat but I have pictures of my stomach....LOL LOL Someone elses stomach in bad shape! Get it...Insurance fraude once again. I left there telling my husband I believe I made the wrong mistake on doing this since they are willing to rip off the insurance they will rip me too! Sure enough, they tried double and triple charging for this procedure which my insurance REFUSED to pay since it was not within the normal charge, so Lap Band has sent me bills totaling $1300 AFTER my insurance paid for $5K of it plus another bill is still outstanding for another $10K that my insurane company is fighting because this procedure alone should have only cost under $5K total; however Lab Band is trying to charge over $15k for just a scope down the throat to take a picture! This wasn't even a SURGURY! RIP OFF!
Oh, lastly, I went and seen my family doctor and she requested my stomach pictures...and guess what! They won't give them to her even though I have given her my concent.
Watch out for these people. I beleive there are some people they really do help who really deserve the Lab Band but people like me trying to find a quick fix they will try to do everything to rip insurance companies and me off since they don't check what is covered.