Question:
Should fees be negotiated before/after surgery?

Someone suggested that hospitals might accept less if insurance pays only 80%. Should this be negotiated before surgery or wait until after and see what the total is?    — Mary P. (posted on September 28, 1999)

September 28, 1999
Most hospitals and doctors work that out with you once they've actually gotten paid by the insurance company so they know the exact dollar amount they're getting from insurance and can decide what they can afford to work out with you.
   — Sherrie G.

September 28, 1999
Some will, some won't. But talk about it BEFORE the surgery. For the hospital that does ours, they are not preferred on our ins. Our doc DOES have privileges at another hospital, so I just ever so sweetly asked if they woudl "act as if they were preferred or should we go to (the other place)?" Since our case was 90% vs 60%, they were only too happy to cooperate. Well, it was accept 60% or NOTHING. So, they MIGHT. IF not, shop around! But before. You have no negotiating power afterward. And you've already signed an agreement to pay!
   — vitalady