shawnee mission medicare non contracted dr's

Hi All, I finally made the call to set up  and get started with wls. I am hoping to get the  roux en y (sp?) anyhow, I was directed to their websiite  shawnee missions, and they are the only hosp designated as a center of excellence, thus the only one medicare will pay for. My problem is this, it say's that their dr's are not medicare contracted, does this mean I have to pay for the dr. out of pocket? I only have medicare a&b, no supplemental. Is there any one out there who's had the surgery there with only medicare, if so what were the out of pocket expenses? I am so ready to have this done, my b-day (42 ouch!!) is coming up soon (09/19) and I realized I need to do something before I die a fat old lady lol. thanks so much susan

Hi ! Susan     I had a lap band done there in may And had to pay the hospital  part of my Decutible  up front .  So even thought the drs will except  some of the medicare They do want more the hospital  didn,t tell me every thing till the day be fore my surgery. I had to scramble to come up with a few hunderd dollars just so I could have the band .I too have just medicare.   Good Luck  PAUL

Hi Paul, thank you so much for your reply. Do you remember how much you had to pay? also, do you think the cost would be more for the roux en y? Does anyone know what they mean that the dr's are "non contracted" with medicare?. I really need to know. I signed up to go to the meeting on 9/17, but it is a 2 hr. drive for me, and I don't want to make the trip for nothing, if I have to pay the dr. out of pocket more than a few hundred dollars , then it would be out of my budget. thanks, susan

 Hello again. Non contracted means they will except medicare but they don't have to go by their pay standards. The  Office can tell you more 913 677 2508 . I got some special help to cover my cost or I would not have been able to afford these drs.   I do believe  RNY is more but I don,t know that for a fact. If I where you I would also look in to these other places speacial if there closer for you.  But I do love the Dr At Shawnee. Good luck . Go to the missouri board  and ask this same question maybe more people can help.    Paul 

St Francis hospital in Topeka is a COE. The doctors at Tallgrass are Medicare contracted and do take Medicare patients. I don't know where you're located, but Topeka is ~45 miles from KC and it will save you thousands of dollars to make the journey. I hope this helps.

I tried to go to Shawnee Mission too and went to the seminar and filled out all the paperwork and sent it in only to get a call saying that even though the hospital takes my insurance (which is a medicare replacement "Humanna") the surgeon's don't.  I had to find another surgeon to go to and I did he is in Sedalia, Dr. Hornbostel.  I went to his seminar and was very impressed more so then I was when I went to the SMMC seminar.  I know a lot of people on the MO Board has had him as their surgeon and speak very highly of him.  I go on Oct. 17th for my first appt.  He does take straight medicare also and is a center of excellence so if your interested you can contact him at 660-827-0423 it's a short drive only about 1 hr 45 min. from KC but well worth it.

My surgeon's office is now a Center of Exvellence accepting Medicare and you should check it out and tell them Helana sent ya.....come to a seminar this month  : ) http://www.iabsobesitysurgery.com/