COMPLICATIONS...not good for the cash pay patient

I adore Dr. Thomas R Brown from CBSI in Denver. He's like Mr. Bean in a way. Dry humor, smiling eyes. I really felt at ease. He just sort of casually sauntered in and started explaining things. He answered all of my questions like we had been friends for years. No nonsense, no little rays of sunshine, just honest to goodness truth.

But sadly, that is as far as the good times roll. I had some complications after surgery. At only 2 1/2 months out, my port stitches came loose and Dr. Brown refused to fix it for free. This should have been covered!!! It was less than 90 days out from surgery and typically any complications (surgical errors) are remedied by the MD at no charge. This was not the case. My new MD even agrees that he should have been responsible and liable to fix the port stitches.

I was informed by the billing office at CBSI that since I paid the discounted cash pay price of $9900.00 that no complications would be covered. Yes- I paid cash for this through donations from friends, family and a sizable loan.

This complication fix/refusal was NOT in the paperwork I signed. NEVER in any of the contracts did it say that since I was paying the lowest fee, I would be getting the lowest quality of car and the lowest amount of service.

I have since transferred care to closer to home. I would NOT recommend going to Dr. Brown as a cash pay patient or if you do, get the additional BLIS insurance for cash pay patients that is advertised on this site. If I would have done that, this would not be an issue. I'm going to have to pay an additional $4000 dollars that I don't have to replace the work that should have been covered under the 90 global. This stinks!!!

Wow, Tiff that stinks.  He should of waned of that before surgery.  However, him not honoring his work only shows poor ethics.  sorry to hear this and keep your head up.

I agree it's a stinky situation. I'm trying to keep my head up and I'm getting creative.

I may be late in my post and I do not mean to get personal. Do you have regular health insurance? The reason I ask is I am a cash pay, but my insurance will cover any complications that arise from the surgery. Hope it all turns out OK for you.

I already had my revision but I'll answer your question. yes, I have regular insurance and they wouldn't cover anything related to the band. Not even complications! What a bummer but I knew that going into it. Thanks for getting back to me.

Insurance is so goofy...I was self pay with my band and then it slipped and I had to go in for surgery to reposition it back in place....they ended up taking it out because of erosion but insurance paid for that...no quesitons asked because it was an ouptatient procedure.  So would they have covered my band placement??? Since it was outpatient as well?!?!  I'll never know!