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Extra cost for hernia in surgery?



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Hi all!

When I had my surgery on 8-20-08, my Dr told me I had a hernia that he had to repair while in surgery. I wasn't surprised, I knew this was common. Well, today I got a bill in the mail for $5200 for the hernia repair! I was a self-pay because insurance (Cigna) gave me the run around for too long. They tried to file the hernia repair with my insurance and they wouldn't cover it, because it was an out of network provider. I'm so frustrated. It took me a long time to save up $15000 I paid for the surgery. I saved up so I wouldn't have to finance it. Now, I'm going to have to finance the hernia repair! Sorry for the rant, I just had to vent. So self payers beware, you may be charged extra if there is a hernia repair involved! :lovechoc:

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If you can pay it now (using a credit card or a loan) call and tell them you had no idea there would be an additional charge and tell them you'll pay half right now if they'll consider it paid. Honestly this type of negotiating is often done in medicine. And if you feel squeamish, just think that a short phone call could save you 2600.

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I'm so sorry that happened! My doctor told me if they found a hernia during my surgery (also self-pay) that he would just fix it for free because it's only a few stitches.

Try contacting your doctor's office and see if they can settle it up for you!

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Actually, littlefroggy has the best idea. Call and tell them he said he'd do it for you and NEVER said a thing about an additional charge. Tell them you feel they should not have charged you. Be nice but firm!

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I would look at the paperwork that you signed prior to surgery. If there is nothing in there about extra charges for other things that are done during surgery, you should not have another fee to pay. There should be a stipulation in your contract that would allow your surgeon to charge over what was the originally agreed price. No stipulation for extra fees, no extra charges to be paid

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Thanks for all of your ideas, they are good! I will call him on Monday to see what we can settle with. I was so disappointed, but I guess nothing is for free, especially in medicine! I will also have to look at my paperwork and see if I signed anything authorizing any needed "extras". I'm sure they have a loophole for charging fro these kind of things! Thanks again for all of your input!

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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