My doctor charged a $3,500 program fee, that is not covered by insurance. Is this typical.

LOL Not with the band (or the sleeve) we don't! :tongue_smilie:

Speak for yourself. ;o)

AAAAIIIIEEEE

that's Restless Monkey running screaming from WASa.

But, my check's in the mail, right? :tongue_smilie:

AAAAIIIIEEEE

that's Restless Monkey running screaming from WASa.

But, my check's in the mail, right? :confused:

Oh yeah, I'd be checking that mailbox on a daily basis.

~~munch munch~~

Fair enough, Restless...we've been in the company of different types of people, it seems. You're right...over-charging is unfair, but if the market bears it, the guy will keep charging it. So I'm thankful that Greta's post and the resonses will help others to realize there are options out there and not to jump on the first one they come across. I do know for myself that when I was going to pay close to $18,000 for the surgery, I was going to be very proud of it...money well spent, less than a car and giving me so much more! So now I have insurance that will cover it, and if my claim is accepted, I'll pay probably $2000 at most out of pocket. A $16,000 savings! But in order to see this savings, I have to use a surgeon group that's dictated to me, I had to spend extra money to go through supervised weight loss, I had to gather a bajillion extra documents, my surgery date will be dictated (and if I can't get out of work for it, which is likely, I'll have to wait even longer)...and these are all the compromises I'm making in order to not spend the extra money...and I hope that Greta can supress her bitterness and see that the $3500--which is a stupid program fee, I agree--was her compromise to get it done with her other terms intact. Sometimes I think I didn't make the right decision by not paying for it completely out of pocket...it's now three years later, I'm even heavier, I still have no tool to help me, and it's still in limbo as to whether I'll be able to go forward with it with insurance. Hmmm...different topics, maybe? Anyway, my point is that I hope Greta can get past that expense and feel good about her decision to go with the surgeon she did. Greta, maybe a good payback would be to find another provider to do your follow-up and fills? If it's possible to find someone who will, there's no sense in giving this guy any more money, whether yours or your insurance's!

By the way, I took a look at the surgeon's website, and the program fee is blatantly described right on the website for patients and non-patients alike. And Greta admits that she understood she'd be paying it (per the website, it's due at the first visit, which is definitely unfair). There really is no blame. If gas is $2.49 at one station and $2.69 at the next, I go back to the $2.49 one and wonder why there are people filling at the $2.69 station...but people still get their gas at the more expensive places. It's a choice.

You think 3500 is bad? Dr. Oliak wants 4500 in program fees. Total out of pocket would be 6K after paying the 20% required by insurance...

I don't know what it is about that practice. It really isn't the norm. I saw a great doctor in LA, much more caring, great staff, no extra program fee. It's really a rip off. Go find someone else!!!! Wish I had.

Who was the doctor? (Does LA stand for Los Angeles or Louisiana?) Every Doc here in orange county has program fees...

i think having to pay for classes after surgery is crap.ive never gone to any of them and only way i could have suregry is i payed the 400

I'm sorry, it's orange county. Drive the few extra miles, get a better doctor with no program fees. Oliak is in the same practice I thinks as Owens (my doctor). He has an awful staff, uncaring, unknowledgeable, inattentive. I asked him what size my band was and he didn't know and never looked it up after several requests. Go to LA or San Diego.

I'm sorry, it's orange county. Drive the few extra miles, get a better doctor with no program fees. Oliak is in the same practice I thinks as Owens (my doctor). He has an awful staff, uncaring, unknowledgeable, inattentive. I asked him what size my band was and he didn't know and never looked it up after several requests. Go to LA or San Diego.

I know owens is 3500 and Oliak wanted 4500. Why is it so hard to find a good doctor? It seems the only ones that respond are the ones that want this god awful amount just to talk to me.

Dr Korman in Marina Del Rey. 1-800 491-1977. LA bariatric center. I love him. Had a last minute insurance problem so I couldn't do it. After all the fees I paid to Owens, I should have just stayed with Korman.

Dr Korman in Marina Del Rey. 1-800 491-1977. LA bariatric center. I love him. Had a last minute insurance problem so I couldn't do it. After all the fees I paid to Owens, I should have just stayed with Korman.

Whats his "Fees" compare with to the orange county guys?

Hey Nazzy I'll trade. I already paid $3500 and got nothing for it either. Don't sweat the $400!!!

I didn't check out anyone else in OC. I switched to him at the last minute. Go to obesityhelp.com and you can look up all the OC doctors. Maybe they list their fees, but at least you'll have the phone numbers to call and check. good luck

Sorry I should have been more clear, that question on "fees" was in regards to Dr. Korman