Bariatric Surgery in Mexico: Frequently Asked Questions

Most patients are between 18 and 64 years old. Patients outside that range are reviewed case by case. Eligibility also depends on your BMI, the procedure, your health history and any previous weight loss surgery.

Renew is self-pay, so you don't need insurance approval or a referral to apply.

For gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, mini gastric bypass and revisions, the minimum BMI is 30. The gastric balloon is for a BMI of 26 to 35. The maximum BMI for gastric sleeve is typically 65.

BMI is only one factor. Your surgeon also looks at your health history and previous surgeries.

1. Apply online. The health application takes a few minutes.
2. Medical review. Our medical team, including your surgeon, reviews your health history. A coordinator contacts you with your results. You can get approved in as fast as 24 hours.
3. Clearances if needed. Some patients need clearance from their own doctor or a specialist before scheduling.
4. Final clearance at the hospital. Before surgery, you have pre-op testing at the hospital, including bloodwork, an EKG, a chest X-ray, an internal medicine exam and an anesthesiologist review.

Scheduling has four separate steps:

1. Request a date. You can ask for a date when you apply or call.
2. Medical approval. Your date can only be held once your surgeon approves you, including any clearances you need.
3. Confirmed scheduling. Your date is confirmed once you pay your deposit by credit card.
4. Preparation. You then follow your pre-op plan, which can last from a few days to 6 weeks.

Most patients schedule 4 to 8 weeks ahead. Fully approved patients can sometimes schedule within two weeks.

Yes. Renew's surgeons require every patient to be able to accept a blood transfusion if one becomes medically necessary. Transfusions are rarely needed, but surgeons follow this protocol for every patient.

Every surgery carries risks, wherever it's done. These include bleeding, infection, blood clots, leaks and reactions to anesthesia. Your surgeon reviews your personal risks with you before surgery.

Safeguards Renew provides:

• Board-certified bariatric surgeons
• Pre-op testing and an anesthesiologist review at the hospital before surgery
• Multiple leak tests before discharge
• Private transportation with Renew's drivers
• An on-call bilingual doctor for any issue that arises after you get home

Packages are all-inclusive. They cover:

• Surgeon and anesthesiologist fees, and hospital fees
• Pre-op testing at the hospital
• 2 hospital nights and 1 hotel night
• A private room with a private bathroom
• Private transportation in Sprinter vans
• Take-home medications, with a written prescription for the border crossing
• 1 companion

Flights, your companion's meals and any extra hotel nights are not included.

Mini gastric bypass, ESG and revisions are quoted individually.

Apply online or call us 24/7 at (844) 736-3963. A coordinator confirms your exact all-inclusive price after reviewing your procedure and health history.

No. Renew is a self-pay provider and can't bill health insurance companies. You can pay with an HSA or FSA, and financing is available.

• HSA or FSA: Renew provides an invoice to submit to your account administrator.
• Financing partners: United Credit and SuperMoney in the US, and iFinance Medicard for Canadian patients. A loan can cover the full price except the deposit.
• Other options: a loan from your bank, credit union or 401(k), if your plan allows it.

Renew doesn't offer in-house financing, and CareCredit isn't accepted by providers in Mexico. Lenders set their own approval rules and terms.

Tijuana: fly into San Diego International Airport. Your driver picks you up at the San Diego airport, the Tijuana airport or an approved San Diego hotel, and takes you across the border.

Cancún: fly into Cancún International Airport.

Plan to arrive before 11:00 a.m. on surgery day. If you can't, stay in San Diego the night before. Check your return flight time with your coordinator before you book it, because the border crossing can take 2 hours or more.

Yes. One companion is included in every package. A companion isn't required.

• Your companion must be 18 or older and able to look after themselves.
• They stay with you in your hospital room and hotel room, and ride with you.
• They need their own travel documents and a valid government-issued ID.
• Their meals and a separate hotel room aren't included.

The hospital allows only one overnight guest. Talk to your coordinator before you plan for anyone else to travel with you.

Renew recommends a passport for every patient and companion.

• Tijuana, U.S. citizens: a passport book or passport card. Mexico also requires an FMM entry permit. To return to the U.S. by land, an enhanced driver's license or a trusted traveler card (SENTRI, NEXUS or FAST) also works.
• Cancún: a passport book is required.
• Permanent residents: a valid green card with a government-issued photo ID, or a passport from your country of citizenship.
• Canadian and other non-U.S. citizens: a passport is required.

Border rules are set by government agencies and can change, so check the current requirements before you travel.

After your date is scheduled. Your nutritionist and surgeon set your pre-op diet and its length, based on your BMI, procedure and surgical history. Your coordinator sends your timeline along with your medication and lifestyle instructions.

Follow the written instructions you receive. They're specific to you and take priority over general information online.

Everything, honestly and in full, on your health application. That includes:

• Medical conditions and diagnoses, and previous surgeries, including weight loss surgery
• All medications and supplements, including blood thinners, hormones or birth control, anti-inflammatories and pain medication
• Nicotine, vaping, marijuana, alcohol and drug use
• Allergies and possible pregnancy

Tell us right away if you or your companion feel sick before you travel. A condition that wasn't disclosed can delay or cancel surgery once it shows up in pre-op testing.

Usually, yes. Your instructions tell you when to stop nicotine in all forms, marijuana, anti-inflammatories, hormones or birth control, and supplements. Don't stop a prescribed medication unless your instructions or your own doctor tell you to.

Surgery times are set on the day of surgery, after your pre-op testing is complete. The order depends on the hospital schedule, your arrival time and your test results.

Start with your patient coordinator. You can call 24/7 at (844) 736-3963, in English or Spanish. Your coordinator brings in the nutritionist or medical team when needed.

Before you leave the hospital, you have multiple leak tests and the medical team clears you. A typical stay is 2 hospital nights and 1 hotel night. You go home with your take-home medications and a written prescription for the border crossing. Your driver takes you back to the airport or an approved hotel.

• An on-call bilingual doctor for any issue that arises
• Your patient coordinator, available 24/7
• Nutrition guidance for your post-op diet stages

Care you receive from providers at home is not included in your package.

You receive written recovery instructions at discharge. They cover your diet stages, activity, lifting limits, incision care and when to return to work. If you lose them, ask your coordinator for a copy.

Time off work depends on your job and your recovery. Your instructions and your surgeon have the final say.