Fees popping up everywhere!

[nomoremeds 27]

I thought I paid all my fees and today I received an email about protien shake cost and co-pay to go to the office for a meeting. Now I have an email that says the hospital will contact me the day before surgery about hospital fees. When I started the jouney I was told that my insurance was great and all I would have to pay is $400 for my surgery. Does anyone know about how much hospital fees are?

[xlawman 23]

Check with your insurance company and see if they cover the hospital fees..

[AvaFern 3,516]

If you don't have to go to the meeting, don't go and save the money. Also, unless they are going to mandate you buy their Protein shakes, don't pay for that either. I would really throw a fit if my surgeon told me I had to pay for a meeting and that I had to buy their specific shakes. Just tell them no...problem solved.

[centlove8 21]

I had to pay a 1500$ deductible and that was it definitely call your insurance and get some clarification.

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

It varies depending on your insurance. Other than copays, my only fees were the nutrition class ($200) and the hospital fee ($200). I was not obligated to buy my shakes through my program or my vitamins/supplements.I was told up front that not all insurances cover the psych eval and nutrition class. I was prepared to pay for both and thankful to only have to pay for one.

I've read that the shakes and supplements they make you buy through the doctor's office is a sort of kickback deal where the practice gets a percentage.

[kalira 10]

My insurance was supposed to pay for everything except $250.00 for my surgery and my $1500.00 maintenance plan (shakes, Vitamins group membership). So far I have racked up over $1000.00 in "co-pays" from the 1st day in the hospital. Tests, medications, treatments, Dr. visits, 3 day stay in the hospital, test result readings, all have had special co-pays. None of the stuff was owned by the hospital. Everything was "sub-contracted". This is after they wanted me to pay $300.00 for the medication dexilant and the $88.00 for the oral vicodin. This is also not counting the money I had to fork out every time the insurance made me see a dietician that they did not pay for, and the psych that they did not pay for, and the initial consult they did not pay for. I do not even know what the 2nd and 3rd day are going to cost, but I keep paying for the bills because I do not want it to go on my credit report.

I planned ahead though. I figured this was going to happen because a friend warned me that when she had her surgery she ended up paying $2,000 out of pocket for hers. I have been putting this all on a travel points credit card and I am half way to my trip to Australia as a treat to myself at the end of my 1st year.

Edited September 26, 2015 by kalira

[The Candidate 3,215]

My total personal out of pocket was $250. What really astounded me though was the break down of fees I received afterwards, showing "actual" cost.

The surgery and hospital fees were around $78,000! With an additional $8,000 going to the surgeon.

When one person's surgery exceeds, or is in the ballpark range, of the cost of the surgeon's entire medical education than something is seriously wrong with our medical system.

Edited September 26, 2015 by The Post Op

[SleeveandRNYchica 1,155]

You probably have a copay. I surprised they didn't tell you about shake and all those cost upfront as those are the surgeons requirements and not so much the insurance.