What to make of this

[onlyadream]

my son had surgery on his feet and I just got the insurance claim summary in the mail. The surgeon charged $2700 total. Blue Cross/Blue Shield is only allowing $350. THIS was REAL surgery - in a real operating room with a real anesthesiologist (and a few nurses). It took about an hour. How in the world could they justify giving the doc only $350??

[dugaresa]

1. because the doc is only charging for his services and he has super-inflated his fees

to account for all the other insurance companies he deals with, and that is the ugly truth.

Now I don't know if the $2700 included the anesthesiologist but you may be getting a bill for that too soon.

They all send bills and the hospital will send an even larger bill for renting out the space and for the equipment fees, etc and none of it will make sense.

and to be honest $350 for an hour of work is quite a hefty sum. If the surgeon works steadily that equates to, $700,000 a year in salary, nothing to sneeze at.

[onlyadream]

2. ok that makes better sense...

I thought he had to pay the hospital and anesthesiologist with that $350!

[dugaresa]

3. nah, everyone is in it for themselves in the billing game

my husband just had a procedure done and to be honest I requested further itemization because the bills were just too vague.

In fact, I recommend you do that too if the hospital sends you a bill with just one or two line items.

[FLyellowdog]

4. Ask for an itemized bill and watch out for double-billing. nt

[Sinistrous]

5. The anesthesiologist and the hospital will probably

bill separately. Watch for the Statement of Benefits in your mail.

I agree that the $2700 for a one hour surgery is inflated.