I have WONDERFUL news for all of the United Healthcare patients out

there! **Dr. Felix Spiegel has come back into network with UHC!!**

Tell all banded patients & future patients wanting to have the Lap-

Band that they can come see the top LapBand surgeon in the country and

receive their surgery with eminent results. YEAH!!!

Is this an avertisment????

Just trying to spread the news - I am sure there will be a lot of happy people!!

have a nice day

well, i would say that since this was a hot topic for perspective houston area bandster hope-to-be's--this is not merely an advertisement. though, we should keep an eye one it. it could easily turn into an advertisement.

i think this will be GREAT news to a lot of people.

Hello Houston! (I posted this also under "Doctors")

Yes, I'm really glad to hear that Spiegel is back In-Network but for the one month that he decided to go out-of-network is the month that I got banded so I had to pay out-of-network costs which amounts to $2,500.00 more. I don't think that doctors should be allowed to jump in and out of network during the year. Normally, as an insurance client (or whatever you want to call me -- I have UHC insurance) I could not make a change until the first of the year. I think doctors should have to remain on the type of insurance they chose at the beginning of the year and then at the end of the year, change if they want. This is ridiculous. I wonder if Spiegel plans to re-imburse the people that got stuck in his one month period of uncertainty. Whew! Okay, I'm through venting now. Thanks for listening!!

Did he jump out of network on purpose? or was he dropped by uhc for a spell?

Xena,

If you get a refund let me know. I also had to pay for the time he fell out of network. I still hope his bill gets there before the surgicenter or I will owe them. This system really sucks and its difficult to navigate these insurance waters sometimes.

Not sure who dropped who, but all is well that ends well.

I'm thinking about calling UHC to ask them about a refund -- thing about it is that it would have to come from Spiegel's office because he is the one that I had to pay. I'll let you know if I hear anything.

Also, from what Spiegel's office says, he got out of network and it had to only be for 1 1/2 months. :grouphug:

It was effective June 1st, so for me he was only out 13 days. Also, when he was in network, the surgical center was going to charge me $2,900. They still want to charge that to me if there bill gets there before Spiegel's. Has to do with the deductible, etc. Keep me posted.