My daughter got the bill and it says it cost 85,000 I think this is a error

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I was told recently that a cash price was 13k, but that also included a revision from a Lap Band. So I'm guessing it would be less. Not sure if that helps.

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I was quoted $18,000.

Depends very much on the facility and the region of the country.

I have very good insurance...but I looked the bill over closely, as I always do. It was about $55,000. I should add that I had a hiatal hernia repair as well.

I should also add that my team and hospital have an exceptional reputation.

My recovery one uncomplicated. I stayed one night.

Edited February 6, 20188 yr by Creekimp13

Some places in the US as cheap as $8500. Unfortunately few and far between. Still cheaper in,Mexico, Dr Illial seems to be popular.

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Some places in the US as cheap as $8500. Unfortunately few and far between. Still cheaper in,Mexico, Dr Illial seems to be popular.

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UTMB Houston area was 13k out of pocket with 6 months of follow up and nut visits. Amazing facility and Dr. Gomez and his team are first class.

I do have insurance but did not meet their eligibility requirements because my BMI was too "low", so I went the self-pay route. The highest quote was $35,000 for a surgeon in Beverly Hills. The quotes from other local surgeons ranged from $29,000 to $32,000, and had a one night stay in the hospital or clinic. I ended up going to reputable surgeon in Tijuana for a fraction of the cost, and two nights.

$85,000 is astronomical, but I'm not surprised by outrageous medical bills anymore. My husband is a young physician and has had patients show him bills that are insane, but he has limited control over them. I'd definitely look at an itemized bill. Unless there were serious complications that required far beyond the typical surgery it shouldn't be anywhere close to that much.

Don't go by what the hospital and surgeon's bill say. Those are like sticker prices on a car and private college tuition: Nobody except the ignorant and desperate pay that price. Hospitals and surgeons almost never collect 100% of what they bill. Contracts with insurance companies these days usually pay around 30% of billed amounts. Note that the rates are pre-negotiated, so the hospital/surgeon don't get more if they bill more.

When a bariatric surgeon quotes you a cash price it's usually near the same amount they would collect from insurance companies and it includes a pre-negotiated split with the hospital. I was quoted $17,000 for the all-inclusive package for gastric sleeve in SoCal, but fortunately I have good insurance coverage and don't have to pay cash. If I drove 30 miles to Beverly Hills I'd get a quote of twice that price from doctors who do not accept any insurance.

I do have insurance but did not meet their eligibility requirements because my BMI was too "low", so I went the self-pay route. The highest quote was $35,000 for a surgeon in Beverly Hills. The quotes from other local surgeons ranged from $29,000 to $32,000, and had a one night stay in the hospital or clinic. I ended up going to reputable surgeon in Tijuana for a fraction of the cost, and two nights.
$85,000 is astronomical, but I'm not surprised by outrageous medical bills anymore. My husband is a young physician and has had patients show him bills that are insane, but he has limited control over them. I'd definitely look at an itemized bill. Unless there were serious complications that required far beyond the typical surgery it shouldn't be anywhere close to that much.

She had no complications and just stayed over night. If they say it's correct I will be putting a stop on mine !

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Don't go by what the hospital and surgeon's bill say. Those are like sticker prices on a car and private college tuition: Nobody except the ignorant and desperate pay that price. Hospitals and surgeons almost never collect 100% of what they bill. Contracts with insurance companies these days usually pay around 30% of billed amounts. Note that the rates are pre-negotiated, so the hospital/surgeon don't get more if they bill more.
When a bariatric surgeon quotes you a cash price it's usually near the same amount they would collect from insurance companies and it includes a pre-negotiated split with the hospital. I was quoted $17,000 for the all-inclusive package for gastric sleeve in SoCal, but fortunately I have good insurance coverage and don't have to pay cash. If I drove 30 miles to Beverly Hills I'd get a quote of twice that price from doctors who do not accept any insurance.

Thank you for the information ! She had met her deductable and only had to pay around $400 the day of surgery. And to get a bill for over 10,000 is a shocker !

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4 hours ago, Elizabeth 06388 said:

Thank you for the information ! She had met her deductable and only had to pay around $400 the day of surgery. And to get a bill for over 10,000 is a shocker !

The real question is if that bill is the amount she owes after the insurance company paid their portion or if that is the total amount that hospital/surgeon billed the insurance company. That's a significant difference.

Another problem could be that while the doctor is in the insurance network, the hospital /surgical center may not be. If it's not in network then the insurance company is going to pay a lot less and in many situations it's a separate out-of-network deductible as well that will be much higher than the standard deductible.

My orthopedist scheduled me for an epidural for my back problems. He's in my network but the surgical center he chose is not. An in-network center would cost me a few hundred dollars, while the out-of-network center would be a few thousand, so I cancelled that and told them to find an in-network center or I'll find another doctor.

Edited February 6, 20188 yr by elforman

10 hours ago, Elizabeth 06388 said:

She had no complications and just stayed over night. If they say it's correct I will be putting a stop on mine !

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Her bill is obscenely high then. What quote was she given when she scheduled the surgery?

Her bill is obscenely high then. What quote was she given when she scheduled the surgery?

No where near that !

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Looking at my claims at my insurance site (Blue Cross Blue Shield Michigan), have the actual bills in front of me.

Billed cost for the hosptial, OR, surgical supplies, staff, recovery room, room and nursing care $47,290.

My Surgeon $11,913

Anesthesiologist $2,560

Bunch of other stuff under $1000 each, pathology, etc.

About $65,000 in total. My first quote was low.

Was a center for excellence and a major trauma hospital affiliated with one of the best research hospitals in the nation. They perform over 300 bariatric procedures per year and have one of the lowest rates in the region for complications. They have a 24/7 hotline for bariatric patients 365 days a year.

Bigger price tag, but I enjoyed the confidence of statistically better outcomes....and the knowledge that I had access to the best talent in the field in case anything went wrong.

My insurance was excellent. Was out of pocket less than $2000.

Edited February 7, 20188 yr by Creekimp13

1 hour ago, Creekimp13 said:

Billed cost for the hosptial, OR, surgical supplies, staff, recovery room, room and nursing care $47,290.

My Surgeon $11,913

Anesthesiologist $2,560

I'd be amazed if any of those bills were paid at more than 35%. The anesthesiologist would be lucky to get $600 under contract. Reimbursement rates may be higher in some areas of the country where there are provider shortages and those providers can leverage that into higher rates.

6 hours ago, Elizabeth 06388 said:

No where near that !

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I hope she can have the bill sorted out so that she ends up being responsible just for the amount she expected to pay. What a frustrating ordeal.

If you were planning on having surgery at the same hospital I can definitely understand why you'd consider canceling. I had a really positive experience with Dr. Fernando Garcia in Tijuana in August of 2015, and am relieved that I wasn't burdened with bills from it. I paid $4200 up front, which included two nights in the clinic and two in the Marriott. My endocrinologist agreed in advance to provide follow-up care once I was back in LA. I had no complications, and exceeded my goals.