Program Fees
I personally think surgeons of any kind who charge extra fees are to be avoided because they care more about money than the patient.
while I understand why someone would say this and respect your decision and if you asked me this question 10 years ago I agreed with it, and damm right I was going to no surgeon who had a program fee as they care more about money than me, but today that is not what I believe.
Here is the reason. These fees are a result of Insurance BS and nothing else, and the patient is the one who ultimatley pays. A surgeon get about the same amount of reimbursment for a gastric band as the surgeon would get for a DS, that is just ridiculous to say the least. The DS requires a significant amount of training and the actual surgey is a PhD level while banding is 6th grade, but reimbursment is close to the same? The band takes about 30 mins while the DS takes hours, but the surgeon is paid the same? The banded patient can leave in am while the DS patient is in hospital for days, surgeon gets no extra for this and the surgeon still is responsible for that patient, more time and resources etc. if a surgeon only cared about $$ then they would only do the band as that is the biggest money maker and DS is the least.
I have been on both sides of this conversation, this would actually really **** me off years ago, and yes I avoided any dr that had a "out of pock not paid by insurance fee" since I though that was wrong. I also think that insurance bs is wrong, where does that leave the patient? yes ultimately screwed, you have to decide, what you want? what would you do it the surgeon that could help your very difficult revision case had a program fee, not have surgery? or worse have someone else do it and 2 years later have to go see the surgeon with the program fee now? life is not fair, for the surgeon or the patient, and it is the insurance cos. A few years ago I crossed over to the side of I will pay for the surgeon that is best for me, but that came at a very high cost to my personal health and only for that reason.
on 12/31/14 5:22 am
A lot of times when you are charged a fee it is because you will now be followed by that doctor and usually fees cover support groups, labs, support. Not all doctor who charge a program fee are evil. It goes to support the patient and program.
"The first thing I do in the morning is brush my teeth and sharpen my tongue." --- Dorothy Parker
"You may not like what I say or how I say it, but it may be just exactly what you need to hear." ---Kathryn White
After speaking with Dr. Kesaisians office and being preapproved, I read on these boards that he had a fee..when I spoke with them the next time, I was told that I don't have to pay it because I live too far away to be followed in their office, even though I can be if I want to be and they also said that they no longer charge the fee.
I'm not a RNY to DS revision but my program fee was $325 and included some of my first months vitamins as well as covering costs for support groups (I don't remember what else they said it covered). This fee was more than reasonable as I've heard of other surgeons charging up to $5,000 program fees.
