Re: Pay Up Front At Gagner's Office

[Guest guest]

You have to love doctors who are so busy and so " hot " that they know people

will still line up 10 deep to drop $100 in your palm for this or that

appointment. I heard that Gagner has a new office manager and that things

are changing.

As for insurance companies being in desperate need of regulation, they are

regulated. In each of the 50 states. At that cozy, state capitol level.

They don't need to be regulated. They need to be ABOLISHED.

[Guest guest]

I was told (today, by Gagner's office) that if your insurance covers

80% then you dont have to pay up front. My insurance, UHC PPO, pays

80%. I paid for my initial consult up front hough, I think it was $200,

and then was reimbursed by UHC-I went out of network for Gagner. They

actually reimbursed me for the psych and the nutritionist too. So far I

have only had to pay small amounts here and there for my surgery

(again, since I went out-of-network I was told i'd have to pay $2000).

I have had to pay for random things like co-payments ($15) for some

labs and x-rays. I did receive a bill from the anesthesiologist for

over $3000 the other day, but I called the number on the bill and they

said to rip it up and they would submit it to my insurance company. So

far, so good.

Jill K in NY

-80 lbs in 16 weeks

Gagner

[Guest guest]

I know that doctors fees change from time to time but a jump of

$100 dollars seems like an awful lot of money to me. On the

positive side the letter that Gagner writes to the Insurance

company almost gurantees approval if you have a decent insurance

company. See if you can get the staff to fill out the insurance form

for you so that you submit it to your insurance company. By the time

you have surgery you will most likely have your 80% back in your

pocket.

My advice to you is not to skip getting a private companion while you

are at Mt Sinai. Beg, borrow or do whatever you have to do to pay for

the companion. It will be the best money you ever spent. A private

room is not terribly expensive. I don't think that Mount Sanai allows

spouses to stay with you even if you have a private room.

> > I was told (today, by Gagner's office) that if your

> > insurance covers

> > 80% then you dont have to pay up front. My

> > insurance, UHC PPO, pays

> > 80%. I paid for my initial consult up front hough, I

> > think it was $200,

> > and then was reimbursed by UHC-I went out of network

> > for Gagner. They

> > actually reimbursed me for the psych and the

> > nutritionist too. So far I

> > have only had to pay small amounts here and there

> > for my surgery

> > (again, since I went out-of-network I was told i'd

> > have to pay $2000).

> > I have had to pay for random things like co-payments

> > ($15) for some

> > labs and x-rays. I did receive a bill from the

> > anesthesiologist for

> > over $3000 the other day, but I called the number on

> > the bill and they

> > said to rip it up and they would submit it to my

> > insurance company. So

> > far, so good.

> >

> > Jill K in NY

> > -80 lbs in 16 weeks

> > Gagner

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

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> >