Re: upfront Ins. fees, Dr. Hess

[Guest guest]

Someone asked about when they had to pay this. I asked at the office and was

told it had to be paid 2 weeks before surgery.

NOTE: for everyone on this list, please do NOT get the idea that Dr. Hess

charges an upfront fee, or a program fee, or an aftercare fee, etc. like so

many of the surgeons are doing these days. The upfront fee is only for

people who have 4 different insurance companies - Aetna, BCBS, Med Mutual and

one other that I have never heard of, if my memory is correct. All others

pass go without handing over $2500!! Just wanted to be sure Dr. Hess didn't

get a bad rap in anyone's mind.

Carole

[Guest guest]

Well, to be precise, for those of us with those insurance companies,

it most certainly is an " upfront fee " . It's an out-of-pocket to

hedge against the insurance company not paying enough.

That being said, I understand it completely, as apparently BCBS is

typically cheapo's when it comes to paying surgeons fee's. It's kind

of puzzling to me, actually, because here in Vermont, BCBS is known

as THE insurance to have. My policy is particularly good, granting

100% payment to most everything...the problem occurs when you start

trying to go " out of network " or worse, " non-participating " .

Joe

> Someone asked about when they had to pay this. I asked at the

office and was

> told it had to be paid 2 weeks before surgery.

> NOTE: for everyone on this list, please do NOT get the idea that

Dr. Hess

> charges an upfront fee, or a program fee, or an aftercare fee, etc.

like so

> many of the surgeons are doing these days. The upfront fee is only

for

> people who have 4 different insurance companies - Aetna, BCBS, Med

Mutual and

> one other that I have never heard of, if my memory is correct. All

others

> pass go without handing over $2500!! Just wanted to be sure Dr.

Hess didn't

> get a bad rap in anyone's mind.

> Carole