My Lap Band Cost

I just got a statement from my ins. provider for payment made to my surgeon for my lap banding. A staggering $45,987.00 , I am shocked! Some how I expected it to be like $25,000.00 WOW! Moreover, my surgeon does 8 procedures a week! Double WOW WOW! Thank goodness for UHC! Mytotal out of pocket is $2000.00 phewwwww! KB

Makes you think maybe you should go back to school to become a surgeon, doesnt it? Hee-hee. Oh boy, I am making my surgeon a multi-millionaire as his 'best' repeat customer. As long as I don't get a bill, I dont care what he gets. Like I say if I ever got a bill from them I would eat it and make them remove it from my stomach. Ha. j/k

Tavia your physician fees could easily eliminate our national deficit! Kenny

Hi Kenny, I also have UHC but they are still going back and forth with the bill for paying the surgeon ($42,000) and the assistant surgeon ($23,000). So far they have only paid just over $6,000. I don't know what the problem is but I'm very anxious to find out what my portion will be!!! It's just very fortunate that I can't eat these days otherwise, I'd be packing away the ice cream, Cheetos, and Cool Ranch doritos! I don't like to think about it but this has been on going since 11/05 when UHC first got the bill. UHC also didn't pay the psychologist or the nutritionist at all! It just scares me to death !!! They did pay the full hospital of just under 30K. Take care. You are doing GREAT! Linda M 230/168.8/ 115

Hey Linda my UHC statement indicated my out of pocket which is $2000 max for the year and the UHC portion was in the $46,000.00 neighbor hood! I have the UHC indeminity plan! Lucky me more more doc bills for the rest of the year! Kenny

Linda, I know when you use "out of network" doctors things get fuzzy and confusing. The insurance company says one thing, the doctors say another and you are left with the problem. It is very annoying to deal with. For my plan starting this year I had to pay a deductible for using an out of network doctor. The surgeons are the only out of network doctors I use. He says not to worry about paying them the deductible or the difference,that he will just take what UHC gives him. BUT the insurance company is demanding proof that I paid it before they send the checks to the surgeon. His office even wrote a letter to UHC stating that the surgeon ethically and morally will not collect payments from me but UHC doesnt seem to care. I dont know why they care so much if I actually paid for it or not b/c its not like the surgeon is holding UHC responsible for paying it. I just think I have become UHC worst nightmare and they want to give me the biggest headache they can.

Kenny: ???did you get an itemized bill? (EOB=Explaination of benefits). That seems unusually high even for TOTAL cost (hospital, labs, OR, anesthesia, device, surgeon etc) as you can out of pocket pay in US for ~$17K for it if self pay .... Also insurance companies contract with hospitals, providers to pay a fee (NOT always what is charged) and if in network you accept that. For kinstance out office charges $175 for an initial consult, there is NOT ONE insurance company that pays that! CDPHP or MVP may come closest like $150-160, some paay (mediaid) as little as $35. My RNY 3.5 yrs ago clost $500 to me (copay for hospital) but total to MVP $25K. (per my EOB surgeon received $1862.18, of the billed $3675). I KNOW the lap band is a cheaper procedure (less OR time, less anesthesia time, less surgical time, less hospital time etc).... Recent article in the Obesity surgery magazine I subscribe to Feb 2006, reports fee schedules of $600-$5,600 and insurance usually reimburses SURGEONs $1,200-2,200. This cost is dwindled by overhead of a practice malpractice insurance (which runs $60-170K a YEAR!),, office staff different office supplies for obese pts (chairs, W/C's exam tables) etc.... Just some points to ponder... Take Care, Jamie Lap RNY 10/9/02 Dr. Singh 320/163 5'9'' (lost 45# before surgery) Plastics 6/9/04 & 11/11/2005 Dr. King http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/members/profile.php?N=c1132518510 "Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, it just means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections!"

My RNY was just over $59,000 according to my EOB. My out of pocket was $240 for the hospital co pay.

Vi: How much went to the surgeon? Jamie

Im not sure what the break down was I'll check!