Question:
How do I get the ball rolling?
Hi there. Okay, I've pretty much decided that I'm interested in getting a Lap DS with Dr. Rabkim in SanFransisco, CA. I'm in Florida, so what do I do? Go see my PCP and ask for a referral? Or do I call the surgeon's office and ask for a consultation? Anyone have any experience with Dr. Rabkim in particular? Thanks muchly :) — [Anonymous] (posted on August 20, 2001)
August 19, 2001
be prepared
Doctor Rabkin charges $3000 above insurance
there are many doctors doing this kind of surgery all over the
USA now
check your area first
I live 100 miles south of SF
pissed me off that a Doctor would want Money up front
I have a wonderful Doc in Fresno Ca
does Lap or Open RNY distals
e-mail me back if your interested
-100 pounds
9 months out
Kathy
— Kathleen M.
August 20, 2001
I would have to agree with the other posting. There are so many good
doctors out there that do not require any money up front. There has to be
a doctor closer to you with less of a waiting list (and no money out of
pocket). Good luck
— Kelly C.
August 20, 2001
Here is a lap DS surgeon who is in Georgia.
http://www.obesitysurgerycenter.com
Also, go to www.duodenalswitch.com, there are several lap DS surgeons
listed.
— Diana M.
August 20, 2001
Hi, it's me, the poster of this questions. After those first two responses
I felt inclinded to ask another question. If you feel I should find a good
Lap DS surgeon closer, do you know of one? Honestly, when it comes to
major surgery, I don't really mind paying money for a doctor who I'm
confident will do the job and provide much needed aftercare. Also, if
anyone is going to suggest that I get a different lap procedure (like RNY),
I'd rather not. I'd like my pyloric valve intact. Thanks :)
— [Anonymous]
August 20, 2001
I saw Dr. Rabkin back in March for a consultation. Waited 4 months to get
an appointment. It was a 5 hour drive for me and my husband. We arrived at
0800 as we were told. We left
at 5pm and only actually saw the doctor for 15 minutes.
I was told that I needed to pay $240.00 up front for the consult fee since
he was not a provider for my insurance. This was told to me when I made the
appointment.
When I got there they asked me for $300.00 up front.
After all was said and done I found out that not only did they want $3,000
for a "program fee" they wanted the $13,000
surgery fee up front as well. They told me that they were no longer billing
ANY insurance and that it was the patients responsibilty to get the money
back. Also, I asked them
what the money for the program fee was actually for and no one could
explain it to me. I told them I wouldn't be attending any aftercare
programs because I lived so far away.
They didn't care, they still wanted the "program fee."
6 weeks later I receive an EOB from my insurance company
that they had billed my insurance for the $300.00 fee I already paid. Here
it is the end of August and I still have not received my refund. I have
made at least a dozen calls and they keep telling me that they have applied
to my surgery fee. I am not having surgery with Dr. Rabkin. Send me my
money! I mentioned the last time I called that I was going to
be contacting an attorney if I didn't get my money in the next month. I
know it's only a small amount , but it's the principle of the thing.
Anyway, just MY experience with Dr. Rabkins office.
— [Anonymous]
August 20, 2001
Hi there. I live in SF, about a mile from Rabkin's office, so we don't
really have the same situation. I would recommend that you talk to your
PCP anyway, since s/he is your doc and should know what you're up to. :)
That aside, Rabkin is not *automatically* accepting any insurance except
for two local (i.e., CA) medical groups. If you are not in one of these
groups, then you must pay the consultation fee upfront ($300) and your
insurance will be billed and you will be reimbursed. If you decide to go
with the surgery, you will need to pay the surgeon's fee upfront ($12K) and
your insurance will be billed and you will be reimbursed. Often, all too
often, the insurance will not pay the full amount of what the surgeon is
asking and there may be a difference in what you owe. You would need to
find out what your insurance considers "reasonable" (which is
sometimes just downright laughable). This is, of course, assuming that
your insurance will cover a DS and an out-of-network/state surgeon. The
$12K surgeon's fee is just for the surgeon...you'd have to work it out with
your insurance for the other costs: hospital, labs, tests, etc.; as well
as pay for a hotel room in the Bay Area. Please check
www.duodenalswitch.com for the names and websites of surgeons who may be
closer to you, if that is a consideration. Good Luck! (BTW. Rabkin had a
major staffing turnover this year which has contributed to some paperwork
snafus. In addition, a local tv news "magazine" has run a
feature story on WLS and Rabkin's practice - twice! The first time, they
were swamped with phone calls. The second time, they tried to setup a
special phone number, but the tv station mistakenly gave out the main one
again, causing chaos in the office. This was just last week, so things are
still a little nuts. )
— [Anonymous]
August 20, 2001
Hi, I was one of the ones that posted earlier. I totally wasn't reading
right I guess because I didn't see that it was a DS that you were looking
for. There is a doctor in Georgia that does the DS, I don't know if it's
lap or not. His name is Dennis Smith. You can find him at
http://www.mini-surg.com/smith.htm or you can go to the DS page that has
all the states listed with the surgeons at
http://www.duodenalswitch.com/Surgeons/surgeons.html and also he has some
postings on this site at
http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/mdcomments.phtml?N=k201. Wow,
what a lot of info. Hope this helps.
I would of sent this info. to your email but you are listed anonymous.
— Kelly C.
August 20, 2001
My husband and I are local to the San Francisco area, and members of his
medical group, so most of your concerns were not issues for us. I will say
that I believe Dr. Rabkin is absolutely at the top of his field, and is
really an acknowledged expert in the DS procedure, both open and
laparoscopically. That was enough for me to live with his program fee, and
the occasional delays in dealing with the office. In your case, I would go
first to your PCP, and see if you can get the out of network referral to
Rabkin. As you'll see on the www.duodenalswitch.com site, though, there
are several qualified surgeons on the east coast. -Kate-
— kateseidel
August 20, 2001
Hello. I am in Florida too. . .Pensacola to be exact. I was going to go
with Dr Smith in Marietta, GA too (he's the closest in network surgeon for
me) but I ended up having insurance issues and his backlog was too long so
I went to someone much closer to me in MS. I went thru LifeShape, Dr Clark
Warden in Ocean Springs, MS. I had the Lap DS with him on 5/29/01 and am
down 60 pounds!!! WooHOO!!! =) He has been doing the lap DS for about a
year but he is an EXTREMELY skilled LAP surgeon and has been doing lap
procedures for more than 11 years so I felt extremely comfortable in his
care. His number is (toll free) 1-866-776-5860. Hope this helps!
— ChristiMNB
November 3, 2001
there is a Dr. Vaughn in Jupiter, FL who interests me. I am from MI and am
considering traveling therePh 1=888-576-0101
— Joyce J.
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