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bariatric travel program

Take Control of Your Health. Take Control of Your Life.

Don’t travel to Mexico when you can have safe, quality bariatric surgery in the USA for the same low price as our local patients, performed by our experienced surgeons with a proven track record of success.

patients all over the world choose us

Many patients look into traveling to other countries for bariatric surgery simply due to cost. Alabama Bariatrics offers some of the lowest out-of-pocket costs for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy without sacrificing the safety and high standards required in the United States. We have had patients come from all over the U.S., and even other countries.

prepare for your surgery at home

For an express work-up, you will do most of your work-up back home in advance. Initial screening and consultations, as well as approval for the program, are done via the internet or telephone. When you are ready, and your surgeon gives you final approval for the program, you will travel to Alabama for the week. Your surgery occurs the day after your consultation, and you travel back home 2-3 days after that. We coordinate everything, so all you have to do is focus on you!

pay the same price as local patients

The bariatric travel surgery price is the same self-pay price, as low as $8,995, for local patients. Your insurance may pay for labs and pre-op testing (as well as post-op nausea and pain medications). For the majority of our patients, most of the work up can be done in your hometown and via the internet or over the phone.

express work-up

For the express work-up, everything needs to be done in advance, no insurance is involved, and payment must be made in advance or at the initial consultation. If you have bariatric surgery coverage from your health insurance, and you want to use your insurance to pay for your surgery, you must fulfill your insurance’s requirements. This will preclude an express work-up, and may require multiple visits before your insurance approves the bariatric surgery. All work-up including patient education, testing, initial screening/counseling, and dietary consultation can be done remotely or via the internet. Records including patient history, labs, studies, etc., are reviewed prior to the office consultation to screen for eligibility for the program.

criteria

All patients must fulfill the same requirements as any other bariatric patient, including doing the same medical work-up, dietary evaluation, labs/studies, and follow up). As Dr. Suggs always wants to do what is best and safest for the patient, THERE IS NO GUARANTEE OF HAVING SURGERY, EVEN IF YOU TRAVEL FOR THE CONSULTATION/PRE-OP VISIT ALL THE WAY TO DECATUR OR HUNTSVILLE.

exclusions

Patients with previous bariatric or gastric surgery, including history of Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding with subsequent removal, are not candidates for the express work-up. Some patients may be deemed too medically complicated to qualify for the travel program. This would include patients at high risk for a deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Patients must have a BMI less than or equal to 60. Patients utilizing their insurance to pay for the surgery do not qualify for the express work-up. You should be able to travel home via car or air about 2 days after surgery. Must be able to do most of the work-up remotely by phone or internet.

costs

The costs are the same for our travel program as any other self-pay patient. We suggest you pay for the surgery in advance, but there are no charges incurred until you (and we) commit to surgery on the day before surgery. There is no charge for the consultation with Dr. Suggs or any of our online or telephone consultations if you do not have surgery. If you have a consultation with the dietician, there will be the usual charge. For self-pay patients, we work with Prosper to finance the surgery, if necessary. COMPLICATIONS OR ADDITIONAL NIGHTS IN THE HOSPITAL ARE NOT COVERED. You may want to consider purchasing additional complication insurance.

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where

Consultations take place at the Decatur office of Alabama Bariatrics. The surgery is performed at Crestwood Medical Center in Huntsville. The post-op visit is at our Huntsville office, which is right next to the hospital. We suggest that you stay in a hotel in either Madison or Huntsville. We are happy to help with suggestions.

timeline

  • Initial contact with EmmaLaura, usually via phone call or email, but possibly via webinar.

  • You will be referred to the website to view the seminar, look at other educational materials, learn about financing surgery, and fill out our forms (which should be faxed, mailed, or emailed back to us). You can download our new patient form here.  Also, check out the webinar schedule.

  • EmmaLaura also does your initial free phone consultation, screens for eligibility, discusses costs and process.

  • Initial record review by your doctor. If eligible as a candidate, we will mail/fax/email the lab form to you.
  • Secondary review of labs and studies. Decision by Dr. Suggs to accept as a patient under the Bariatric Surgery Travel Program.
  • Consultation/Pre-op with Dr. Suggs is scheduled the day before surgery. This consultation and subsequent bariatric surgery can normally be scheduled very quickly.

  • Nutritional evaluation will be completed with our dietitian, Jodi Valdez, via phone or telehealth anytime before surgery.

  • Day 1: AM office consultation/pre-op visit with your surgeon. Clear liquid diet that day, fill prescriptions, and COVID-19 test near the hospital (instructions will be given). You will report to PAT or pre-registration and pay the anesthesia bill in that afternoon. Then you will spend the evening at your hotel.

  • Day 2: Report for surgery that AM at Crestwood Medical Center.

  • Day 3: Counseling by the Crestwood Bariatric Coordinator and post-op visit by your surgeon. You should be discharged around lunch time to return to your hotel.

  • Day 4: Post-op visit/wound check in the Huntsville office.

  • 1 week post-op: Follow-up phone call. We will have you text or email photos of your incision sites to the office. Your surgeon will review the images before deleting. They are not printed or permanently kept.

  • 1 month visit: Follow-up by phone by your surgeon.

  • 3 months: follow-up by phone by your surgeon.

  • 6 and 12 months: Follow-up visits may be in person at the office, or conducted by phone/internet. Labs done in advance at home.

  • Annual visits: Need to be in person. Note that the first year follow-up is free, but subsequent years will be the customary charge.

Note: If you are having any difficulties or complications at all, follow-up should be done in the office in Decatur or Huntsville rather than by telephone.

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discover your path to a healthier you

Call Alabama Bariatrics or email us today. We’ll help you get started on your weight loss journey. Learn more with our 60-second Quiz. Call us at 256-274-4523 or fill out the Contact Us form. We will get back to you within 24 hours to set up your consultation. It’s that simple.

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