Weird insurance question!

[msmanda84 9]

If surgery is covered by insurance do they make you pay your entire deductible beforehand?? Or is that billed after? I know, weird question but Im not sure!

[orionburn 1,023]

Unless you really have some bizarre plan it should be billed afterwards as normal. My surgery was 1/25 and I'm just now starting to get the rest of the bills in.

[kaysc 14]

I think it depends, honestly. My doctor's office required you to meet your deductible before surgery. If you hadn't met it by your final pre-surgery appointment, you had to pay the rest of it that day (they gave you the number beforehand, so it wasn't a huge shock or anything).

[MeltsIntoWonder 125]

13 hours ago, kaysc said:

I think it depends, honestly. My doctor's office required you to meet your deductible before surgery. If you hadn't met it by your final pre-surgery appointment, you had to pay the rest of it that day (they gave you the number beforehand, so it wasn't a huge shock or anything).

Yep. My deductible has to be paid on the day of surgery.

[GrrlAnn 177]

I paid mine the day of surgery as well.

[Vinasu 621]

I had to pay before. They called me up for a credit card number and it had to go through before I could go into surgery.

[msmanda84 9]

They just told me this morning that its billed to insurance and then ill get a bill. Im nervous to believe them tho lol. I think ill make sure I have the deductible amount ready just in case! Thank u!! Im sooo excited and nervous! I just want to know if im approved or not!! Lol

[hmills653 365]

I have a $3100 deductible. There's no way I can come up with that by the end of May and still pay my bills so I'm hoping it will be billed after and I can make payments. I have an HSA but still being reimburse from last year's medical bills.

[clc9 644]

For me, It ended up coming out first because of the pretesting snd surgeon's visits.

[ashes_202 20]

I think it is different at every office. Just ask. My office asks for no more than $1,000.00 one week before surgery if you haven't met your deductible.

I have received other bills from the cardiologist, surgeon and I have to pay out-of-pocket for my month long pre-op diet that is mandatory. Hidden fees they don't talk about before you sign up of course. It all ends up being expensive but its so worth it!

[2 juicey4u 26]

I was sent a bill the day of surgery no money was collected

[GracieVSG 3]

Please keep us posted on how this worked out for you. I also have a high dollar deductible plan so am curious as to what happens.

In the past, my strategy has been to advise the physician or facility that I will pay once I or they receive the statement back from the insurance as to what I actually owe. I also found out from a call to the insurance company that when they contract with the providers to be part of their provider network, they are not supposed to bill the patients until they get their EOB back from them.

Sometimes works, sometimes doesn't. But haven't worried too much since I am usually dealing with small amounts vs something major like WLS.

In your case, perhaps trying to save a portion of your deductible to have ready at time of surgery as a sign of good faith would help them to then allow you to make payments for the rest.

Hope it works out for you!

[Mandybb 183]

My deductible had to be met before my surgery. I waited until the end of the year (literally Dec 29th) so that my deductible would be met and insurance covered my surgery 100%.

[SarahSleeve 170]

I pay after. Had surgery 3/21 and expect a bill soon.

[mlbdl 86]

I had to pay before, even though I told/showed them that other claims were pending that would wipe it out. It took me 3 months to get $300 back, after being jerked around with billing errors, unreturned calls, excuses, and only partial refunds, not in the form of original payment. Jerks.