My friend and I was talking about the cost of the LapBand surgery ...... I was self pay and I was telling her I bet the cost that is billed to the insurance is a LOT higher than the self pay price.

So, would any of you be willing to tell me what the total was that was billed to your insurance company for EVERYTHING (doctor and hospital)?

Thanks,

Sherri

Yep! I don't know any self pays who used my surgeon so I don't know what he quotes as a self pay rate, but their charge to my carrier was over $29k, and apparently the rate my carrier has negotiated with him is only about $1600.

Scary to think about how much self pays have to fork out. Even MX patients don't get a $1600 deal.

So, $1600 is the TOTAL for EVERYTHING? Doctor and hospital and the band itself?

$1600 is what they paid of the $29k charge.

Here's another list of what the hospital or physician charged / what my insurance negotiated to.

$1347.98 / $468

$35.00 / $13.20

$4000 / $1014.97

$23.50 / $12.22

$18.00 / $9.28

$42.00 / $15.84

$29,076.25 / $1674.00

$330 / $165

So it looks like my insurance co's total payout so far has been about $3375.00.

In talking to my Dr.'s office, the price is higher for self pay. If the Dr. is in the plan of your insurance company, they have to accept what the insurance company says the procdure is worth. If they give other people the same discount (who don't have the insurance), they lose their status with the insurance company. The Dr. only receives a percentage of the cost when the insurance company pays. They receive the full amount when you self pay. I'm not saying they lose money, but they receive less for the same procedures.