Nutritionist and Psych consults???

My wife is having surgery with Dr. Bertha and the Psych and Nutitionist do NOT accept ins. The Psych is $275 and the Nut is $375. ($650) Does anyone know of or went to either of these type Drs. prior to surgery and they WERE covered by ins. If so, please let us know! Thanks in advance. Mike

Hi...congrats or your wife's impending surgery I didn't have Dr Bertha, but did also have to shell out hundreds for the psych & nutritional consults. Neither would even submit to insurance....so I submitted myself. Something I found odd, on my receipt for the psych eval, in the area designated for insurance info, they put "United Way" - very strange, since I HAD AmeriHealth insurance - which they wouldn't accept. AtlantiCare Behavioral Health (psych eval) seems to need investigating....by me at the least :} In my AmeriHealth statements they're pretty much declined for diagnosis reasons....but I'm not giving up :} I think I put out close to $750 for both. Kinda nuts if you ask me...but it could be worse, I guess. I'm interested to know too, if anyone was able to be reimbursed. Great question :} Good luck with everything :} kar

What insurance do you have? I went to Dr Abkin and had the pysch and nut done a morristown accross from the hospital and believe it or not they were covered by BCBS. They tell you it isn't covered and make you pay up front but then they submit to the insurance and you get the evidence of benefits statement that shows they were paid something and they have to accept that as payment and then the hospital send you back the money after you alert them of this.. at least that is the way it worked for me... IT was the bloodwork that was a killer because I hadn't met my deductible. I have a ppo plan. the pysch and nut were considered specialist visits. Good luck...

I had to have these consults also. Mine only cost $180. total. I did have to go to Manhatten for the psych. They do it on a sliding scale. email me if you want more info. Carol

hi. i went to dr pasupathy in bridgeton, nj and didn't have to pay anything for my psych except $10.00 copay and nothing at all for my nut couns. my only out-of-pocket expenses have always only been my copays. i never even knew that people had to pay for psych eval and nut couns until i started reading this site. but, really, if you have to pay it. it's worth it in the long run... sue

Michael, I just had surgery with Dr Bertha and used both the nutritionist and the psych that he advised... my insurance did cover for the nutritionist but not the psych... so I was out the $275.. However, if was well worth it!!!! I just had surgery on Dec. 27th and the consults I had were back in July, because I had Aetna insurance they required six months of nutrition and exercise documented.. Hope this helps.... Tammy

Hi I am also in the process of getting this surgery and the hardest part was finding a psych. but after 4 months of fustration, I found that at UMDNJ in newark they do it for free with the resident doctors thats where I went I only had to wait 1 week for my appt. and they faxed my suregeon my psych approval the day I went.When you call you have to tell them you want a resident doctor for a "BARIATRIC PSYCH EVALUATION" you have to phrase it like that otherwise they want you to come in for 6 months of meetings. And make sure you tell them you want the resident doctors that way they are not allowed to charge you. Well good luck and I hope this helped.. Tammy

I went to the nutrionist thru my surgeon and since she was part of the group it was covered. My dr. Is about an hour away from me and I didn't want to go all the way up there just for a psych eval. So I called around to local bariatric surgeons and thet gave me options, I ended up going to Carmencita lanez around woodbridge. She was covered by my ins but if it didn't it was like 120. She was pretty fast and seemed to do it alot. I would give her a call

Let me invite you to call my office. The max out of pocket is 175 but we participate with most ins cos. Our office is in Lincoln Park where you live.

Where ever you go....please do not view it as just a roadblock...you should get something out of the consult.

Good luck

Dr Mike