$600 Bariatric Program Fee

[Dmog74 2]

My program fee is $525 but that is charged by the weight management center; not the surgeon's office. Where I live in Allentown,PA it's two surgical groups from which you can choose, but you utilize the same 6 month weight management program with all the usuals involved: nutritionist, support group, behavioral health specialist and classes. Fortunately for me, I work in the same health system and receive wellness dollars of which I can submit this fee back to at the end of the program and get my money all back.

[keish_lorraine 190]

My program has a $600 program fee that isn't billable to insurance it's just a total out of pocket fee. My surgeons coordinator states it covers the nutritionist and lifetime group membership.

Does anyone else have such a fee and if so how much?

My bariatric program fee is only $160 and that includes my insurance copays for my specialist appointments, group memberships, nutrition program, some life skills classes & some post-op stuff.

I will have a separate charge of about 300 for the Protein shakes needed for the 2-week pre-op diet. That's not considered a part of the bariatric program.

Edited February 26, 2014 by keish_lorraine

[badabing40 21]

My Program charges $550.00. All the programs in my area that I know of charge around the same. I'm still not sure what this covers as I'm sure they will be charging my ins company for every visit to the surgeons office and nutritionists.

[ChavaBling 145]

My program at ValleyCare in Pleasanton, CA has a $600 fee. I sure hope my insurance company will cover that. I have not received the bill yet. I should have checked. I'm still getting used to PPO after having Kaiser for 4 years.

[allycatt98 35]

<p>My program at ValleyCare in Pleasanton, CA has a $600 fee. I sure hope my insurance company will cover that. I have not received the bill yet. I should have checked. I'm still getting used to PPO after having Kaiser for 4 years.</p>

Doubtful Sarah.... This is guaranteed cash money for them as I'm willing to bet your fee is non-refundable too. Program Fees aren't typically covered by insurance as they don't reflect a billable medical service.

[J-Cal8 13]

The first surgeon I went to charged a $4000 - yes that's 4 thousand dollars- for a "program fee". He's in Thousand Oaks, CA. When I asked what this program covered, they said two weeks of Optifast for the pre surgery liquid diet, some blood work ( which my insurance covers), and nutrition counseling. I found another doctor who did not charge a program fee at all and I liked him much better.

[allycatt98 35]

The first surgeon I went to charged a $4000 - yes that's 4 thousand dollars- for a "program fee". He's in Thousand Oaks, CA. When I asked what this program covered, they said two weeks of Optifast for the pre surgery liquid diet, some blood work ( which my insurance covers), and nutrition counseling. I found another doctor who did not charge a program fee at all and I liked him much better.

I know you're in Cali, but still.... It's like the surgeon wanted to get paid twice! That even more than the typical insurance reimbursement. I would've run from that office screaming while clutching my purse tightly to my person.

Ally

[CurvyCakes 269]

The first surgeon I went to charged a $4000 - yes that's 4 thousand dollars- for a "program fee". He's in Thousand Oaks, CA. When I asked what this program covered, they said two weeks of Optifast for the pre surgery liquid diet, some blood work ( which my insurance covers), and nutrition counseling. I found another doctor who did not charge a program fee at all and I liked him much better.

What theeeeeeeee heck??? Did u say $4000?? That's in sane!!! I'm with Alleycat I would have ran clutching my purse.

[Lennyb724 13]

So, I'm getting here that the $600 "membership fee" (I'm really trying to hold my nose and look past this) is not reimbursable by my Insurance Company. But the $200 fee paid directly to the Psychiatrist that did my Psychosocial Evaluation does seem to be covered by my carrier, Anthem BC/BS PPO of CA. Has anyone had any luck getting that fee reimbursed? If you did what Procedure Code and or Diagnosis Code did you use. Thanks.

[danaevett 179]

My program has a $600 program fee that isn't billable to insurance it's just a total out of pocket fee. My surgeons coordinator states it covers the nutritionist and lifetime group membership.

Does anyone else have such a fee and if so how much?

Mine was $1000.00

[Get.Waisted 45]

So, I'm getting here that the $600 "membership fee" (I'm really trying to hold my nose and look past this) is not reimbursable by my Insurance Company. But the $200 fee paid directly to the Psychiatrist that did my Psychosocial Evaluation does seem to be covered by my carrier, Anthem BC/BS PPO of CA. Has anyone had any luck getting that fee reimbursed? If you did what Procedure Code and or Diagnosis Code did you use. Thanks.

I'm not sure about coding but my insurance (BCBSIL) covered my psych visit, the hardest part was getting the shrink's receptionist to file a claim b/c she kept saying 'insurance never covers our visits'. But they did cover it.

[J-Cal8 13]

If you are anywhere near cedars-sinai, they do not charge a "program fee" and it's a great center. They are par with. Bcbs of ca - even their anesthesiologists are par!

[Jersrose43 837]

I'd like to ask all of you willing to pay a fee .... Why?

I would NEVER see a doc and pay a fee. Don't care how good he says he is.

I choose a doc by going to NY Presbyterian hospital and finding surgeons associated/employed there. Then I found he did surgery at a local NJ hospital and the morbidly rates in NJ are better

My friends recommended a place in Edison nj but they are run like a mill. All bariatrics and almost felt like they pushed the surgery too much.

My doc doesn't care if you do the surgery or which one. Make the right decision provides info and nutrition.

No fees.

[Get.Waisted 45]

I decided to pay the $750 fee based off of my surgeons credentials. He was the very first surgeon to use the lap procedure in The tri state area and is head of the national surgeons of bariatric group also I did a lot of research if I wanted who I considered to be the NEXT best I would've had to travel to Texas which including travel and hotel/car rental would have amounted to about the same as my program fee and also he charges a fee of $250. There are other surgeons in Louisiana who I could've used but they ALL charged some kind of program fee which ranges from $250-$1000. I believe it's more about location than anything in some area most if not all require the fee so there's no getting around it. I'm happy with my decision. Also I asked for a itemized breakdown of what the fee was used for and my insurance company has reimbursed me over $500 so it's not so bad after all.

[piercedqt78 658]

I had a lap band implanted when I lived in Chicago, fast forward 7 years, and I had moved to Florida, I needed to have my band checked, I was having reflux and my band was empty. I called about 6 surgeons in the Jacksonville area, and the best "program fee" I found was still $1000, with most charging $1500. I was told that since they didn't do my surgery my fees were higher. Basically she explained that was how they make up for people going to self pay centers, or out of the country and then coming to them for followup. The surgeon became a surgeon to do surgery not to do followups for other surgeons. I explained that not only had a used a US surgeon, covered by insurance, but that my surgeon had moved away from Chicago before I did. What if I had paid a huge program fee in Chicago, and then they all wanted me to pay them at least $1000, some were as much as $2500. I would understand if they were having to fight my insurance, or having to do pre/post op classes, but I was just looking for someone to check me for a slip. I ended up needed my band removed, and I was revised to the sleeve, but because I was originally brought in as a general surgical consult (after a GI doc told me it was 99% band related) I didn't have a fee, and I was approved after one phone call for my revision.