[Vent ]Co Insurance Drama! Might have to reschedule surgery!!

This process is so stressful!!
I get a call from my doctors office today to confirm my pre-op appt with my surgeon on 4/21. They also mention they want to discuss payment. I am totally cool...cause I have already planned for and budgeted the $500 deductible and the remainder of the admin fee $125 plus the $30 copay for the visit. So imagine my surprise when she said I would need to have $1025 for the doc on Tuesday!! apparently they have changed their policies and now require the 20% co insurance prior to surgery.  So that tacks on another $370! THEN she proceeded to tell me that the hospital has "begun reinforcing their policy to collect co insurance prior to surgery" so be prepared to pay the hospital $630 too!! Now when I went in for my consult I was told that I would need to pay the deductible $500 the $250 admin fee and co pays for office visits...any co insurance would be paid after the surgery. They even said if the hospital tries to collect money form me the day of surgery I should have them call the office! WTF? Now I get a call at 5pm on a Friday to say I need to have a significant (for me) additional amount of money before Tuesday, and the the Hospital portion by May 4th. If I don't have it figured out by Tuesday I will have to cancel my surgery.
It seems supremely %$!@ up to change a policy after a date has been scheduled and plan has been made. As if money wasn't stressful enough these days.
I am sooo frustrated and disappointed.


***Edit    I spoke with the doc's office today and they said that I can defer the $370 co insurance until after the surgery. I still have to hustle to get the unexpected portion for the hospital but I believe it will work out.  Thanks for allowing me to vent.

Damn!  I can't believe they want all of that up front!  What is the admin fee anyway? 

Can you ask about a payment plan?  Seems totally outrageous to ask for tons more money right before the pre-op appointment?  I wonder if it is really their common practice?

 Yes, ask for a payment plan. Give them the Previously expected money when you go in.

jude

So sorry to hear about your experience. I think our tough economic time is having impact on hospitals and insurance companies alike. They are looking for new revenue streams. It's a shame you get caught i the middle.  I have an issue with these admin fees. My surgeon also had one and it was high ... $1,600. Insurance would not cover so I had to pay $800 at approval and $800 at my surgeon pre-op consult. I chose him because of his reputation and proximity to my home. It was good decision. He is excellent and his practice is the same.  I hope that you can work things out. I hate to see a person come so far only to have the rug yanked from under you.  Good luck, Bud!  Tom

On my opinion, this copay, co insurance as you describe sound to me like extortion's. Here the insurance companies are obligated by the government to cover all expenses. Of course some star doctors ask for an extra, but that immoral and an extortion's on a fragile patient.

it's a racket. typical bait and switch, if you ask me.

seems as though they should be required to give 30 days notice before instituting a policy change, like credit card companies (do they still do that? talk about racket!) or landlords.

do you have anything in writing about what you'll be required to pay upfront? it might help.

my insurance company didn't pay for the surgery at all. sometimes i wish i had to jump through all those hoops...