Fills are foreign to me...

mpope · June 12, 2008

I am waiting on approval from insurance so I've been to the seminar and all but noone's talked alot about fills and although I know what they are, I don't know HOW MUCH they are? Does anyone have some ideas? And does insurance cover them or some of them?

Again, I know all of this is based on different insurance policies and all, but just curious.....

mendypoo · June 12, 2008

My insurance covers my fills, I pay a $10 co-pay when I go into the office. From what I've seen from my insurace statements my Dr charges $500 and he only get around $150 "approved" so thats all he gets paid. Check with your dr regarding this don't go into fills not understanding how much things will cost in the future. Some people don't get fills that they need because of the cost or how far away their dr is. If your Dr can't answer your questions call your insurance company they really should have all the answers for you. I had surgery 12/17/07 and have had 4 fill my fith is scheduled the 24th of this month, I'm really glad my insurance covers my fills for life.

enjoy the journey!!

Northwest_Nance · June 12, 2008

My doctor includes all fills for the first 13 months after surgery, in the price of the surgery. I am self pay and I was told after that, they are $150 apiece. But they might charge insurance companies more and then the insurance company knocks it down to what they'll allow.

cyndi2774 · June 12, 2008

I can't believe they charge so much for a fill! Is it a complicated procedure? I guess I am imagining something pretty quick and simple...

mendypoo · June 12, 2008

Because it's considered "surgery"(they sick an large needle in you and break the skin) they can charge insurance higher knowing they'll only get what they have agreed in their contract. The proceedure itself isn't difficult. At my Dr's office they have you lay on a table, they clean your belly with smelly crappy iodine stuff and have you hold two bottles in the air. The first small needle that comes up to the right hand is for the numbing stuff (lanicane) which is a small prick and you hardly feel after the Dr has already pushed around your side locating where the port is. The next needle is huge and is for the saline that they put into the port. Once they find the port and stick in the needle they pull out air and or saline to see how much you have already and compare that to their notes; this part I don't care for it feels as though they're sucking the air out of my lungs and I'm bruised later. Once they put in the desired amount of sailine they have you sit up with the big needle sticking out of you and have you drink Water to make sure that liquids will go down fine. This takes about 10min of drinking small cups of warm icky water thats been sitting all day. Once everything is OK they pluck out the needle, on me it acutually makes a "Plop" sound, really weird feeling 'cause you can feel it coming out of the port. The best part about fills? You're not hungry afterwards!! worth every penny.

Zach's Mom · June 15, 2008

My fills are a littel diffrent than Mandypoo's. My dr. makes me drink this liquide stuff while taking an x-ray. than I lay on the table he sticks me once and than takes another x-ray to comapre the speed the liquied goes down before and after the fill. It is very fast and there is no pain.

vcompton · June 15, 2008

I have a question for anyone... I was banded on Oct 11 2007... I have lost over 60+ usually all fills are like .5 each time...after like 7 fills or so last week I was given 1.2 which now puts me at 7.2 cc's... I stayed on liquids for 4days as told to but now I have found I cant seem to get anything down...liquids are going down slower too...could this be way to tight or could the swelling still be there since it was a big one... Anyone have any ideas...today I have had my coffe/water...however no food will go down yet and its been 6 days... any advice...do I need an unfill or should I give it a couple more days...thanks

SonjaC · June 15, 2008

My doctor charges $250 for a fill. They are covered by insurance and the surgeon is a participating provider so has to accept what insurance pays. My copay is $15 and BC/BS pays $137 of the $250. I've had two fills and have restriction after the second. I have an AP Standard band (10 cc) with 3 ccs filled. My doctor doesn't use the lidocaine just the fill needle. I am terribly afraid of needles, but it doesn't hurt even though it is a large needle. I haven't had any issues with the fills.