So frustrated with surgeon's office...any thoughts?

I have different insurance, but none of my labs are covered because they are diagnostic not preventative.  $450 each time OUCH.  My insurance is a HDHP (high deductible health plan) so I have to pay 4K out of pocket each year before it starts to cover.   I guess i am just saying I feel your pain (in the pocket book).   I was going to skip my 9 month labs but I am afraid I may cause myself problems if I cheap out.  lol  So I have another blood draw in June.

I think Kellys idea of using your PCP for labs is a good option, hopefully their billing is more efficient.  You can always request that they copy your labs to your surgeons office.

[Candy V.] I think you should try and talk with your Surgeon's office to see if you can negotiate a different price if you haven't already done so. It is truly fascinating how low you can negotiate medical services when you are a self-pay. I know you have insurance, so technically you are not self-pay, but you should still be able to negotiate a difference between what they bill the insurance and what you are responsible for. Especially if you are a "returning customer". Definitely give it a try and good luck.

yeah , I am definitely taking my business elsewhere.  Have mailed the letter to the CEO for the all the good it will do but this is definitely going to cut into their revenue if I am not the only one being affected.

Good luck and do not cheap out.  I am going to have my new pcp order the labs that they did not draw just to be sure that everything is good.  I am only 6 months out so still feel very vulnerable and want to know how I am doing!

0.8 To Go!!!!

OMG I wish I was at the same point. I'm doing good myself, but I would love to be that close. Are you planning on setting a new goal at all or is this your end goal? Just curious. So happy for you!

LOL... patience my little Yodaman!  You will soon be there too.  Yeah, since I am now at my/doctor's original goal, I am going to go down to 130 to give myself a cushion for the "gainback" if there is any.  Although for the past week, I have been eating real food to include carbs and have lost the 5 lbs I was struggling with.  Got on the scale this morning and I am down to tada: 140.2!!! Crazy.  So I am aiming for 130 and that should be thin enough for me.  I can see my sternum for goodness sake!  And my ribs in back.  Unreal. 

I make healthy choices but when we go out to eat now, I get something I would not have at home.  I think that is how "normal weighted" peeps play the weight game.  I don't overeat but I eat what I want and have a treat in the form of dessert or something.  Love it, never been able to do that before!

Life is sooooooo good!

I think you are absolutely right on with how you are eating now that you are at goal. My kids ask me all the time if I will be able to eat something and I tell them sooner or later I will be able to eat that again. I just keep reminding myself to keep my eyes on the goal. I have a little indulgence once in a while, but it is usually very little. If I notice myself continually indulging I will throw away whatever it is that is tempting me so much. Like the other day my wife made cupcakes for my son's birthday. She had leftover frosting and put it in the fridge. I think I'm the only one in the house that will eat it so I'm not even sure why she saved it. But anyhow, I dipped my fingers in it for a day or two, just small little tastes. MMMMMMMMM  MMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMM! It was very good. So good in fact that I decided to throw a spoon in there and dig some out!! That's when I threw it away. Oh, I ate my spoonful, but the rest went in the trash. My wife generally knows which snacks are most tempting for me and keeps most of those out of the house. I don't think she realized that the frosting was an issue though. She knows now!

The weight is still coming off slower than at first but I knew that ride wouldn't last forever. It's still coming off at a good rate though. I'm averaging 5lbs a week right now which is truly amazing. Keep up the good work!

Outstanding on the still losing so much per week and with only 68 to go, you will be there in no time.

Yeah, I am exactly the same way still at home.  If something is an issue for me that I am "tasting" it over and over then out it must go.  I LOVE frosting.. never cared much for cake but leave oh my stars, THE frosting.  

But when I say I indulge when we go out,  I find myself choosing protein and eating that and then fruit and then veggies and then dessert.  I mean I can still only eat about 1/2 to 3/4 c per sitting sooooo!  

So I figure a  tiny taste of my hubby's peach cobbler will not kill me and it doesn't and I am happy cuz I had something decadent.  LOL.

I am just praying I keep this way.  Although the other thing I notice is that when I eat "real" food or carb heavy food, I find myself throwing an extra walk for the day in.  Yay me!  I can just feel that it needs to get gone so I get going!  Big, big change for me.  

Glad your family and wife are so supportive.  I have a great hubby and family who support me too and what a difference it makes.  

YOU keep up the great work.  It is all so worth it.  I look and feel 10 years younger.  My brother, God bless him is 3 years younger than I and he said..."Sister, everyone wants to know about my "younger" sister! Haha  What a gem.

God bless you!  Glad it is all going so great for you. 

I don't currently have this problem, but in my past I have experienced office personnel that put certain patients at lower priority when taking care of tasks. Namely the 'problem' patients. I have witnessed their comments after hanging up the phone on a difficult call. Some people are catty and do not handle their job professionally at all. If you think you are not receiving the proper attention I would definitely go to the manager and if still not satisfied - find another clinic to take over your case. You shouldn't be having to run double duty on your lab billing. What a pain in the ass! Ultimately healthcare is a business and if they are not taking care of your needs you really owe it to yourself to eliminate that stress by finding competent care at another office. I hope you get it worked out, who can afford nearly $500 in labs all the time. No one wants to sink that much money in to maintenance testing. 

I always remember, however, if tomorrow I lost my insurance I would remain committed to my care and have to pay this money. I am grateful everyday for my insurance. Other things too, but definitely always grateful for what we have. 

I am going as soon as I can .. could not get in to see a new do****il July but that is ok.  I am going to keep the last appointment and let them know exactly why I am leaving.  The whole crew is wonderful but if they are protecting the one who is incompetent then ... so it goes.  It is an hour and a half drive to them anyway and my new doc is like 10 mins.  I hope I like him, if not, my fingers are doing the walking through the yellow pages!  

They are tests needed to monitor your DIAGNOSED CONDITION OF MALABSORPTION...
ICD-9-CM Diagnosis Code 579.9 Unspecified intestinal malabsorption.

Any doctor can order these, you don't need another bariatric surgeon. My PCP has done all my lab stuff, even though I had to give her a list of what needed to be checked and help her interpret the results. (*grin*) And yes, Medicare pays every penny as long as the above code is used. I'm a DSer, so I have some major bloodwork done---about 20 vials. The lab bills something like $1950 every time.