Last night I opened a piece of mail from the hospital where I had my gastric banding procedure performed. The notice stated it was not an invoice, but just a statement of charges. OMG, the total charges were $82,000 billed to my insurance company.

Okay, I did have a little issue with my spleen bleeding during the surgery, so I stayed in the hospital for 2.5 days, but OMG, $82,000. I thought self-pay banders were paying around $20K in the USA and around $8K in Mexico.

The implant device was $11K and the OR was $20K and the recovery room was $6K and the semi-private room was $9.5K and the list of charges keeps on going. :sad:

Thank goodness for my insurance.:thumbup:

Yes, I agree with NurseKathy.

If someone is so negative about doctors then perhaps they can take care of themselves and do their own surgery. No one forced you to see the doctor. I for one don't seek out services of people I don't trust. The doctors have better things to do with their time and other people to take care of who actually need and appreciate their services then someone with that kind of attitude!

I wish you health and happiness!

Michelle

My wife was in ICU for 3 days (dka, nothing to do with lapband) that was over $500,000. Hospitals bill as much as they can as they only get a small percentage from insurance.

Sort of like a hotel posting that a room's maximum charge is $249 a night (on the card on the inside of the room) when you only paid $69. When FEMA puts hurrican vicums in the room you can believe they bill the max as they only get a percentage of it

A couple weeks after my surgery I got a statement from my insurance telling me I was responsible for $9,800.. for a co-surgeon that I had never heard of. I about fainted. I called them and asked what happened, because I had been told prior to surgery it was covered and had been precertified. She explained that the Co-Surgeon was not in my plan so it was MY responsibility. I said.. "but I didn't CHOOSE her, I don't even know her!" They documented that the Dr. was not selected by me and sent it to 'review'. They then paid it all.. whew!! I haven't seen the total bill yet, I'm sure it's a high amount if the co-surgeon billed for $10,000!

Hello,

Ok i am a part of Kaiser, it is a HMO i believe, where the drs and nurses, staff, hospital etc are all employed via the same company.. So I pay kaiser and they pay their employees... WELL even they charge astronomical..

I gave birth and because it was an emergency situation they first billed for time in the laboring room, then they billed for the pitocen etc, and then the thing that attached to my babies head to monitor her and so on. Then i got my epidural, and they messed up so there were 2 charges there. Then it was an emergency C-section so they charged there. Then they knocked me out so charged over 1k for the (put mom to sleep drug) then they charged for my extended time in recovery, then it just got worse.. I ended up with a private room for one day so got the charge on that and since i had a infection i got a special pass to stay 7 days..$$$ then, they had me on 3 antibiotics 2x a day via IV so more $$$$, then i had to use a lactation lady $$ and also a psych lady because after being in a small room with 3 other women, and babies, and visitors and feelin like ass i kinda went crazy lol so more $$$ Needless to say they sent us the paper that says this is not a bill: it was over 180k..

Needless to say my copay was ZERO! VSP (vision service plan) has a SPECTACULAR Employee program, and they paid the copays whatever they were.

So the point is, i think hospitals like to bill as much as they can even though they know they wont get that much, also since it will be a neg, they could get a tax right off..........

My co pay just for the hospital room and nurses etc that I had to pay up front before admission was $275 the co pay is 10% thats just for the room, not for md, surgery, iv's meds pre surgery anything like that. So total cost of stay in room from 6pm -10am normally is almost $3000. It adds up what the hospital bills. This was all in a BC Anthem Bariatric Center of Excellence with approved md's etc