On February 14, 2010--Valentine's Day--LA Times reporter Michael Hiltzik shared the first of several investigative pieces about a Beverly Hills outfit marketing lap-band gastric bypass under the easy-to-remember call-in number 1-800-Get-Thin. He ended the article with information about a woman who was charged $15,000 in advance on her credit card by TopSurgeons for surgery she says she never agreed to, forcing her to go to court to win back a $3,000 "cancellation fee."
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As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
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