question about lap band

My friend is having the lap band done and is using Dr. Smith. She has bcbs of Ga but PPO. The dr's office told her that she would have to pay about 1300-1500 dollars out of pocket for the surgery and that she was already approved and that all they had to do was schedule her date. Now they have called her and said they figured her amount wrong and want 2500-2700 dollars instead and now are wanting her to go and have a bunch of tests done on her gallbladder and an upper GI. She is getting so frustrated because her employer will not let her off for the doctor appts nor the surgery and now they are saying she needs more stuff done before they can schedule her date. does this make any sense to anyone or does anyone have any advice for her?

depending on the type of work she does the FMLA can not allow an employer to not allow someone time off for medically required surgery. If she's in retail I know those types of employers can restrict time off with the holiday season coming up - but they should at least be willing to work a schedule around her appointments. As far as the money....I can't help with that!

Thanks Dee Dee. She works for the county and they are big jerks!!! Everytime she makes a dr appt they make her cancel it. Can she file for fmla without her employers knowledge?