I just looked at my Blue Cross/Blue Shield claims online tonight because I've been dying to know what I am going to end up owing for my band. I had it done at a surgery center which was awesome and I couldn't have been treated better. They filed a claim for my band for $85,000 and for the Hiatal Hernia repair for the remainder. They tried to pull off a claim for $108,054.63. That made me laugh so hard. I fully understand the difference between what the real cash fees are, inflated insurance billed fees and reality. The claim states that they will be reimbursed at the reduced Medicare rate. That one got me because I'm 36! So whatever formula they use to reimburse is obviously a Medicare based schedule. But seriously, $108K! My husband had some pretty intense finger surgery in August which required some crafy work by one of the best hand surgeons in the US, if not the world and the hospital only billed for $13,900 and this was at UCLA Medical Center. We ended up owing $450. The doctor bill was only $117.

Fortunately my portion of the bill for my alleged $108K surgery will be $601. I'm not sure what the surgeons fee is yet, but I am out of network and covered at only 80% instead of our usual 90%. I know that it can't be over $100K though. He just seems to nice to pull that one. If you are a cash paying patient the total cost is only $18,800 for everything. His portion is $9600 so I am assuming the remaining $9200 is for the surgery center.

I can't wait for my husband to get back from the gym to tell him. He's always complaining that I cost him money.:cursing:

Your insurance company will dispute that--and your share of the bill will likely drop considerably.

I ended up with nothing out of pocket other than my office copays and a non-covered program fee of $300. Because I chose a Center of Excellence, I even somehow got out of paying toward my deductible for the year. (My surgery was in January, and I expected to have to pay much more.)

Lunacy. The insurance is going to drop that like it's hot. My hospital total charges were like 18K which insurance knocked down to like 5K. I met my personal out of pocket expenses for the year so I paid like $200 total (I needed 200 to meet my out of pocket).

I just looked at my Blue Cross/Blue Shield claims online tonight because I've been dying to know what I am going to end up owing for my band. I had it done at a surgery center which was awesome and I couldn't have been treated better. They filed a claim for my band for $85,000 and for the Hiatal Hernia repair for the remainder. They tried to pull off a claim for $108,054.63. That made me laugh so hard. I fully understand the difference between what the real cash fees are, inflated insurance billed fees and reality. The claim states that they will be reimbursed at the reduced Medicare rate. That one got me because I'm 36! So whatever formula they use to reimburse is obviously a Medicare based schedule. But seriously, $108K! My husband had some pretty intense finger surgery in August which required some crafy work by one of the best hand surgeons in the US, if not the world and the hospital only billed for $13,900 and this was at UCLA Medical Center. We ended up owing $450. The doctor bill was only $117.

Fortunately my portion of the bill for my alleged $108K surgery will be $601. I'm not sure what the surgeons fee is yet, but I am out of network and covered at only 80% instead of our usual 90%. I know that it can't be over $100K though. He just seems to nice to pull that one. If you are a cash paying patient the total cost is only $18,800 for everything. His portion is $9600 so I am assuming the remaining $9200 is for the surgery center.

I can't wait for my husband to get back from the gym to tell him. He's always complaining that I cost him money.

My hospital billed a total of $111,00 JUST for the band surgery with no complications. Of course they are still fighting with my insurance over it but dh jokingly said... Babe, I'm not sure your even worth that much. LOL

So far my insurance paid $11K and it looks like the rest will be written off.

Mine was only $56,000 without the hernia repair. I dont owe the hospital anything because I work there, but still have to pay 20% of the doctor and anestesioloist charges.

My insurance companay said they they are entitled to only $2000. They paid out $1398 and some change and I owe $601. I'm happy with that amount since they are out of network. I'll probably have met my out of network deductable for the year soon. Compared to the $18,800 for cash paying patients, my portion in nothing. Now I can rack up a hefty bill shopping for new clothes instead!

As an Australian still grappling to understand how health insurance does (or doesn't) work in America, all I can say is WTF?