About Self Pay

has anyone been a self pay at Good Samaritan? i was wondering do they charge you up front or send you a hospital bill? i will be having my RnY in January and was just curious. currently i am on month 4 of the food log / monthly weigh ins. thank you very much.

You're self pay and you still have to go through all that rigamarole?  I had insurance pay for my surgery at OHSU and all I had to do was lose a certain amount of weight within six months.  I lost it in three weeks and then was scheduled for surgery.  I don't know about Good Sam, but I expect they will want most of their funds up-front, as most places do nowadays.  Best call them and ask. Linda

Hi Linda- Hope you are doing better with your back pain.  I was just wondering/stewing/okay panicking about the whole BCBS PEBB 5% weight loss thing!!  I just was going to put out a post asking if anyone knew if you had to wait 6 months.  But, it sounds like you did it in 3 weeks.   Did you lose that after you met with the NP/Nutritionist??? Did you have to go back to Portland to get an "official weigh in" as proof of the 5% loss?? How long after that did they schedule you for pre-op and surgery appts.???? We should get together for lunch (except I only get 1/2 hour!!) Thanks- Fitbyfifty (Sheryl)

Hi Sheryl - I think I had to lose that after meeting with the NP and Nutritionist.  When I felt I had lost enough, I went in to see my PCP here in Eugene, got weighed, and had him fax my weight to OHSU.  Then they scheduled me to see the surgeon.  I can't remember the time line exactly, but when I got my approval from the insurance, they called me a few days later with a surgery date -- I had to wait three months for surgery! I did specifically request Dr. O'Rourke though, so that may have been why.  We can do lunch any time!  I don't eat much, plus I walk by your building almost every day on my lunch hour. Linda

I was a self pay at Good Samaritan.  I had to pay the surgeon 2 weeks in advance ($8,300? I think) and the anasthesiologist in advance (I think about $1,200).  I then had to put a deposit down at the hospital prior to my surgery date.  The deposit was $12,000.  The rest of the cost was billed to me later.