WLSurgeon Bill: Insurance only pays 65%

RaggetyAnn
on 7/3/11 2:11 am

So my surgeon is outside my insurance network, so insurance pays only 65% of the bill.
My share is $4700.
OMG. I only budgeted $2600 as my share for hospital and surgeon together.
tracey

RaggetyAnn (I'm just a RaggetyAnn in a Barbie Doll world.)
hw: 216 sw: 200 cw: 156 dgw: 134 mgw: 124

Generic User_Name
on 7/3/11 2:38 am

Call the surgeon's office and set up payment arrangements. At least then, you can budget a set amount to pay them. It will also protect your credit rating because they can not report negative information relating to that debt to the credit bureaus.

Price S.
on 7/3/11 2:42 am - Mills River, NC

RNY on 09/09/10

What a blow. And are you just now finding it out? That was about my total out of pocket with co-pays, deductables, etc. Luckily, I had planned on it. Our group gave us estamates before they scheduled surgery and they were pretty accurate.

I'm sure they will work with you. Can't squeeze blood from a turnip.

66 yrs young, 4'11" hw 220, goal 120 met at 12 months, cw 129 learning Maintainance

Between 35-40 BMI? join us on the Lightweight board. the Lightweight Board

MacMadame
on 7/3/11 4:17 am - Northern, CA

VSG on 09/24/08

Will the surgeon get in network for you? Sometimes they'll do that.

HW - 225 SW - 191 GW - 132 CW - 122
Visit my blog at Fatty Fights Back Become a Fan on Facebook!
Starting BMI 40-ish or less? Join the LightWeights

RaggetyAnn
on 7/3/11 4:36 am

VSG on 02/15/11 with

i seem to recall that they said they accepted whatever insurance I had, and would accept that payment. But at the time, I didn't ask what that meant because I had 90/10 insurance and 10% wasn't bad. Then the year turned over, I had to take different insurance, and I never thought about the out of network thing. Never occurred to me, but honestly it should have, because I use another doctor in the practice and he's always been out of network.

RaggetyAnn (I'm just a RaggetyAnn in a Barbie Doll world.)
hw: 216 sw: 200 cw: 156 dgw: 134 mgw: 124

MacMadame
on 7/3/11 5:48 am - Northern, CA

VSG on 09/24/08

"they accepted whatever insurance I had, and would accept that payment."

Hmm. Doesn't that mean they won't charge you for the difference? Probably not, eh?

HW - 225 SW - 191 GW - 132 CW - 122
Visit my blog at Fatty Fights Back Become a Fan on Facebook!
Starting BMI 40-ish or less? Join the LightWeights

RaggetyAnn
on 7/3/11 5:56 am

VSG on 02/15/11 with

hmmm..... that's what I thought. Maybe in addition to my waist shrinking, my weekly take home pay is going to shrink too....

I'll do what I can do. Pay a bit at a time.

I'm only $325 away from my max out of network charge, so if anything else happens, I'm not on the hook for more than $325. That's the good part.

RaggetyAnn (I'm just a RaggetyAnn in a Barbie Doll world.)
hw: 216 sw: 200 cw: 156 dgw: 134 mgw: 124

Ruthie D.
on 7/3/11 1:17 pm - Mayer, AZ

RNY on 02/09/11

Well now... that's a positive thought! It sounds like you figured out how to turn p00p into ice cream! Good job!

LIFE'S a REACH...

and then you FLY!!!
HW = 224, SW = 204, CW = 124, GW = 119

Cheryl W.
on 7/4/11 2:43 am - Fernandina Beach, FL

RNY on 12/15/10

That's awful. So sorry that happened, but I'm glad you didn't know at the time, cause maybe it would have made you pause and rethink the process, right? Now it's water under the bridge. Maybe all the savings from your grocery bill are going to go toward the Doc, but still, net, net you are better off. Also, who know's what the doc's office will do. Maybe they'll cut you a deal. For a couple grand it's easier to motivate yourself to be humble and grovel.

Good luck.

I'm finally moved in, but still waiting for some furniture to completely unpack. I'm LOVING DC. We're going to the Mall for the fireworks tonight. Us and a million other folks. It's being recorded on PBS, so look for me, I'll wave to you.

Cheryl