Money up front before your surgery?

I am having my surgery in FIVE days!!!  woohoo!!! 
So to make my nerves even worse patient financial services decides to call me today to tell me I need to pay 75% of what I may owe before my surgery!!  Are you kidding me??  I owe 20% of my surgery, but the most I will owe is $2500 (that is my out of pocket maximum)  So they are telling me I need to pay atleast $1000 before my surgery?!!?  I was so shocked!  So I asked her why this is- she said if your surgery is not covered or if you have a high amount of what you MAY owe they like you to put 75% down?  Yea right! They want to make sure you are able to pay your balance, don't worry you WILL get your money!  This just frustrates me, has anyone heard of this before? 
I called the insurance coordinator for surgical weight loss and she said she has never heard of this before and was shocked that they called me- she said I wouldn't worry about it, just wait till after your surgery when you get a bill because you may not even owe the full $2500.  Thanks for letting me vent! haha

A friend of mine had to pay $2,000 before surgery.  They ended up with a $10.00 bill afterwards, but yea, it is a shock at first. I already followed up w/ the hospital to make sure I didn't have to pay anything up front, because if I did, I wouldn't be able to have surgery.  I am already taking money out of my paycheck to cover the cost, but it is going into a FSA medical account...

I would call the financial dept and talk to them about this.

Good Luck!
Ledaizey

Funny timing on this, I just opened a letter from the surgeon stating that I need to pay money the day of my pre-op appt. - next Monday.  It's not a huge amount, but we're in a crunch every year at this time until after Valentine's day (property tax due date), so even this small amount is going to be a big pain.  

At least there shouldn't be any bills after - I hope!

Liz, looking forward to adding you to the losing side of surgery.  I have heard of others needing to put money down ahead of time, the fee should have been addressed early in the surgery process.  Makes the most sense so that people can save or apply for financial assistant with coming up with the funds.  Good to double check and see what the real deal is. 

Venting is one of the tasks that we here ar bariatric buddy group do, listening, sharing.  Do you feel better having shared.  I would have stuffed in the past, eaten and stuffed.  Sharing is soooooo much better.

thank you kathy!  I am looking forward to being on the losers bench too!!  Just so many emotions this week (I think the liquid diet really hit me) wondering if this is the right thing to do, what will I be able to eat, will I get sick... blah blah blah!!  Then to have someone call you and want you to pay $1000 today, yea sure!  It was the first time it was ever mentioned- had i known prior to this I would have been putting $$ back for it- but with trying to catch up with bills and being unemployed is hard!  But my husband said this is a small price to pay for my health!  So its not like they will cancel my surgery because I dont pay up front (atleast thats what the insurance coordinator from the hospital said!) but I am going to call my surgeon tomorrow just to make sure.
Yes venting does help!!

Wow.. a shock indeed! I had to pay $750 up front, but that was to cover the nutritionist, as that is not covered by my insurance. I did end up owing about 42200 after my surgery. They will work with you if you call as soon as you get any bill and ask to make a payment arrangement.
Good idea to double check, but doubt they will cancel it...only don't take my word for it cuz I can't know for sure. Another thing is, you may be able to ask them upfront if you can just arrange a payment agreement NOW for just in case. They may be happy to do this. Don't let it get you down. I am sure somehow it will all work out for you.

Vent away! Thats what we are here for!

I have the exact same max out of pocket - $2,000 but with the deductible it's $2,500 - they also want it up front 2 weeks before surgery.  A co-worker had surgery last March and she told me about this so I've been saving already.  I'll have the $2,000 saved within the month - I'm only a couple hundred away.  I wasn't surprised they asked this, they do want their money and with the way the economy is they probably get people who don't pay their bills and stuff so they've learned to ask up front.  My co-worker did say a few weeks after her surgery she received a check in the mail for the full amount she paid up front and that way should could pay the little guys who would bill her - so it's just a security thing for the office...

I think you'll owe the full $2,500 - 20% of a $30,000 surgery is $6K so you're already over that... thank goodness for out of pocket maximums! 

i have to pay the dr's office 550.00 before my surgery date. and my insurance will swich to a dedcutible come feb 1st. and i dont know what they will say for that. im just concerned for the 550 the insurance comp can go pound sand for all i care