:wub:

Hi : I'm new to this system' date=' can't wait to see how it works. I've made the decision to have a lapband installed! I'm left with a few ??? Two unrelated ones are: has anyone with a hiatal hernia had the surgery; and do all Drs. charge admin fees in addition to what insurance pays? My Dr. wants $1200. in addition to the insurance I have. I don't understand why this couldn't be added into the surgery charge. Any thoughts? Thanks[/font']

:biggrin:

My doctor didnt charge any additional fees. The only out of pocket expense I incurred was the $100 deductible for being hospitalized.

What is you maximum annual out of pocket expense on your insurance? My insurance paid for everything except what was left for me to pay toward my max annual out of pocket. It came to about $800 (my yearly max is $1000, but I had already paid about $200 toward office copays and other medical expenses prior to the surgery). The first Dr. I went to see wanted this up front. The Dr. I ended up going with took what the insurance paid and I owed my out of pocket to the hospital. I just pay them $200 a month till it's paid off.

Wow! California is really expensive. My doctor charges a $3500 admin fee. Ouch.

I did not have any admin fees only the cost of the surgery (my plan pd 70% with a $3000 out of pocket). We had to pay our $3000 up front (some to the dr and some to the hospital). You may want to make sure this is an administrative fee or is it the portion your insurance will not pay.

As far as the hiatal hernia, my husband and I both had lap band surgery and both of us had a hiatal hernia..we didn't know that we had it but our doc fixed it.

Good luck! We were banded on May 19th and both have lost about 30 pounds and feel great! :wub: