Hello,
This is my first post to the forum. I've come around to lurk a few times and I've learned a lot, but now I have a question about the cost of surgery.
I got braces back in December of 2006. I've had them for over a year and now I'm about to have upper jaw surgery at the end of February. My insurance is covering 60% of the actual surgery and 80% of the hospital costs. Even accounting for that, I'm still going to owe above $4000 (and that doesn't include the hospital costs).
I'm just wondering if I'm paying a reasonable amount.
What did your surgery cost? Also, I understand that everyone's surgery is different but I'd like to know anyway; even if the answer has to be taken with several qualifiers.
Thanks.
Cost Of Surgery
Moderator: bbsadmin
Funny you ask, as I just got my bill today...
Here's what the invoice lists:
Preliminary appointments (one week before actual surgery appointment)
Amount Billed: $271
Health Plan Paid: $241
Amount I Owe: $30
Surgeries performed: (upper & lower & genio)
Amount Billed: $38,807
Health Plan Paid: $38,427
Amount I Owe: $380
Anesthesia & Hospital Stay: (I stayed 2-nights, was discharged 3rd day)
Amount Billed: $38,427
Health Plan Paid: $37,695
Amount I Owe: $732
Totals when I do the math:
Total Bill: $77,505
Health Plan Paid: $76,363
Out-of-Pocket Surgery Costs: $1142
Genio (not covered at all): +$2500
Total Out-of-Pocket Surgery Costs: $3642
If you click here and then click the "Stats" button you can see additional costs that were incurred not listed here. But those include braces costs.
EDIT: I completely forgot the genio which insurance did not cover. They considered that entirely cosmetic. That was $2500 out-of-pocket. I'll add that to the total above.
Here's what the invoice lists:
Preliminary appointments (one week before actual surgery appointment)
Amount Billed: $271
Health Plan Paid: $241
Amount I Owe: $30
Surgeries performed: (upper & lower & genio)
Amount Billed: $38,807
Health Plan Paid: $38,427
Amount I Owe: $380
Anesthesia & Hospital Stay: (I stayed 2-nights, was discharged 3rd day)
Amount Billed: $38,427
Health Plan Paid: $37,695
Amount I Owe: $732
Totals when I do the math:
Total Bill: $77,505
Health Plan Paid: $76,363
Out-of-Pocket Surgery Costs: $1142
Genio (not covered at all): +$2500
Total Out-of-Pocket Surgery Costs: $3642
If you click here and then click the "Stats" button you can see additional costs that were incurred not listed here. But those include braces costs.
EDIT: I completely forgot the genio which insurance did not cover. They considered that entirely cosmetic. That was $2500 out-of-pocket. I'll add that to the total above.
Wow, that is some impressive costs. I think that the hospitals and doctors charge the insurance companies a whole lot more than if you are paying yourself because they know that often they do not get the full amount.
I had no insurance coverage and paid in cash (in advance and in full) for my upper, lower and genio.
Because I was a "self-pay" the doctor gave me a discount and what would have been a $21,000 surgery cost me $14,000.
Because I was paying in full and in advance the hospital gave me a 30% discount so I paid about $4,000.
In total, my surgery and hospital (just 1 overnight stay), including all post up follow-up cost me $18,000. So, even if I had insurance like yours that paid 60% that still would have left me with about $7,200 out of pocket.
Hope this helps.
I had no insurance coverage and paid in cash (in advance and in full) for my upper, lower and genio.
Because I was a "self-pay" the doctor gave me a discount and what would have been a $21,000 surgery cost me $14,000.
Because I was paying in full and in advance the hospital gave me a 30% discount so I paid about $4,000.
In total, my surgery and hospital (just 1 overnight stay), including all post up follow-up cost me $18,000. So, even if I had insurance like yours that paid 60% that still would have left me with about $7,200 out of pocket.
Hope this helps.
My OS works in house so there is no hospital fee, but he charges extra for his own mini hospital fees - I just lumped the costs together. These are est. prices because I am not sure of the exchange rate this week.
SARPE - 8,000
1 pc. Lefort - 8,400
BSSO - 9,500
Genio - 2,500
plates and screws - 2,200
splint - 500
turbinoctemy - 1,000
septoplasty - 2,200
chin lipo - 2,700 (I will probably skip this expense)
and - 2,100 for ´6 implante transitorio en el proceso alveolar (interdicular) para: ajclaje esqueléto'. No I dn't know what it means.
Oh, and 1,500 to get knocked out.
He included a bunch of opitonal stuff that I left out like jaw implants and an eyebrow lift...wtf?
SARPE - 8,000
1 pc. Lefort - 8,400
BSSO - 9,500
Genio - 2,500
plates and screws - 2,200
splint - 500
turbinoctemy - 1,000
septoplasty - 2,200
chin lipo - 2,700 (I will probably skip this expense)
and - 2,100 for ´6 implante transitorio en el proceso alveolar (interdicular) para: ajclaje esqueléto'. No I dn't know what it means.
Oh, and 1,500 to get knocked out.
He included a bunch of opitonal stuff that I left out like jaw implants and an eyebrow lift...wtf?
Goodness... some of those numbers are downright scary. My charges were more in line with Meryaten than anyone else, but mine was less than that even, but everyone is different. For a BSSO at a medical college (and keep in mind, maybe that's why mine was cheaper) it was around 12k, and insurance paid $11,2, so my cost out of pocket was about $800. Plus all the gas ($60 each round trip and it was almost 4 hours away) and those initial and follow-up visit fees, which were about $250. Braces have cost me about $5k, with insurance paying $1k, but I have a ceramic upper. Which, if I had to do over, I would have just gotten both arcs metal. I don't know what I thought I was concealing at the time getting ceramic, but I got over that pretty quick.
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merkitaminasi
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wow I feel so blessed that i have great insurance. My braces cost me about 2500 out of pocket because my insurance only paid half..but i paid aboslutely nothing for the surgery and pre and post op appts. the only tings i paid for was gas to drive back and forth. i couldnt imagine having to come up with so much money. especially being a college student i would not hav been able to afford it
I would not have been able to afford it either as a collage student. The only way I managed it now, at 43, was that I sold a condo in Washington DC and moved to Arizona 4 years ago at the height of the real estate boom and made a tidy profit (all of which is gone now 
).
Sometimes I wonder what I pay my insurance premiums for since more often than not they reject my charges or prescriptions.
).Sometimes I wonder what I pay my insurance premiums for since more often than not they reject my charges or prescriptions.
Braces - $7000
Surgeon - $7000
Anesthesia - $4000
Hospital stay - $2000 (overnight)
Total - $20,000
All out of pocket because my insurance plan specifically excludes orthognathic surgery. Bye bye new car...
When I went in for my final pre-op appt, the financial handler told me that they had raised costs by $4000 and that I just made the cut off for the old prices. WHEW!
Surgeon - $7000
Anesthesia - $4000
Hospital stay - $2000 (overnight)
Total - $20,000
All out of pocket because my insurance plan specifically excludes orthognathic surgery. Bye bye new car...
When I went in for my final pre-op appt, the financial handler told me that they had raised costs by $4000 and that I just made the cut off for the old prices. WHEW!Haven't gotten final hospital or anesthesiologist bills, but I am guessing my costs will be more like Bunny's than everyone else's costs.
I paid out of pocket 15K to surgeon (this is with insurance covering the nose procedures), 5k to ortho (but got half of that back from insurance which was a HUGE surprise and I had originally laughed at ortho office when they decided to file with my insurance company - we had no idea that it was covered), so will end up around 20K.
Frankly, if I didn't have a Big Law job lined up starting next Fall, there's no way I could have done this on top of my law school loans. So we don't buy a new car for a while, oh well. It will be worth it not having to drug up on antibiotics to get over sinus infections every time I travel.
I paid out of pocket 15K to surgeon (this is with insurance covering the nose procedures), 5k to ortho (but got half of that back from insurance which was a HUGE surprise and I had originally laughed at ortho office when they decided to file with my insurance company - we had no idea that it was covered), so will end up around 20K.
Frankly, if I didn't have a Big Law job lined up starting next Fall, there's no way I could have done this on top of my law school loans. So we don't buy a new car for a while, oh well. It will be worth it not having to drug up on antibiotics to get over sinus infections every time I travel.
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Brandyleigh35
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My costs were pretty much in line with Kari's. For my SARPE I had to pay out of pocket $1,000. For my upper, lower, and genio I paid out of pocket $4650.00 This was for my yearly 1,000 contribution and $3650.00 for the genio. However post surgery, they did end up paying some of my genio (all of it but $500.00) So I got about $3,000 back. Then our other insurance reimbursed us for the out of pockets. So truthfully for all my surgeries....SARPE, UPPER, LOWER, GENIO, and a Lower left bone graft, I ended up paying $500.00 total. Total costs though with hospital etc were close to about $70.00. Also my insurance doesn't cover ortho so I had to pay $7300.00 out of pocket for my braces.
My fees were also at a medical college, UCLA Medical Center to be specific. It would've been even more had I gone to one of the Bev. Hills surgeons my insurance was suggesting.For a BSSO at a medical college (and keep in mind, maybe that's why mine was cheaper)
No kidding. I feel the same way when I fly. I'm always curious how much the person sitting next to me paid for their seat. On the rare occasions that it comes up, I'm always amazed how different the price ranges are for pretty much the same service.Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 12:33 am Post subject:
I am always struck when threads like this arise just how different the fees are that we have each been billed.
Granted an upper/lower/genio is much more pleasant than flying these days.
EDIT: The flying comment... sarcasm.
Last edited by Emaciated on Sat Jan 12, 2008 1:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Wow, most people have paid a whole lot more than what I'm probably going to end up paying. Although, my surgery isn't as extensive so that's probably at least partly why.
I'm going to get the care credit to pay for my surgery and then just make (huge) payments so I can pay it off in a year with no interest. My income tax return should help with that.
I can't imagine paying upwards of $30,000 out of pocket. Damn.
I'm going to get the care credit to pay for my surgery and then just make (huge) payments so I can pay it off in a year with no interest. My income tax return should help with that.
I can't imagine paying upwards of $30,000 out of pocket. Damn.
