“My approach is to keep the clinical conversation and the financial conversation separate, in that order, and to never start the second one while the patient is still in a gown.”
That is what I told Doctors Magazine when they asked physicians how to talk about cost without shame.
They headed my section “Publish Fees and Use Coordinators.” Prices on my fees page. Quote from a coordinator, separate office, patient dressed.
Why publish at all?
“Those prices are minimums, and they include anesthesia, the surgical facility, medical tests, garments, and recovery products. Because pricing does change, please confirm current pricing at agulloplasticsurgery.com/fees, which is the page we keep updated.”
“Baseline: if nothing else is added and the surgery is not expected to take longer than the standard time, the quote matches the website.”
“A final quote is only given after a consultation, and it will include everything.”
What does a coordinator do that I cannot?
Hold the quote while I hold the exam.
“Patients can finance through PatientFi, AlphaEon, Cherry, or CareCredit. We also offer direct financing through the practice, where you make payments directly to us ahead of your surgery. That lets you schedule the procedure out for the time you need, and make the payments periodically at your convenience.”
“Beyond that, patients can pay by credit card or cash, or arrange financing through their own bank or another institution.”
Why do surgeons charge such different numbers?
“Cost varies with the doctor’s experience. Surgeons in high demand consistently deliver good results in a safe environment with top-quality products, and that increases cost. I allow sufficient operating room time to work in a paced fashion, for safety. Low-cost surgeries get compressed to cut anesthesia and operating room fees.”
And the quote that is too low?
“So when you see a really low fee, it is probably a surgeon that is not as busy as they would like, and they have to lower prices to attract patients. They may be shortcutting some parts of the procedure. They may not be using the best equipment and the latest technologies, and they may not be using the best fat preservation techniques, soaps, and preparation.”
“I would also add that sometimes these kinds of prices are actually offered right here in the United States, often in clinics that do very high volumes. These are very common in Florida, for example. A lot of times, we are not sure who is performing the procedure, whether it is a board-certified plastic surgeon or a physician from another specialty. And often the recovery and follow-up are cut down, as these surgeons only come in to perform the procedure, and then the clinic is the one that continues the follow-up.”
“In short, if a price seems too good to be true, it usually is.”
“A bargain that costs you a revision, or your health, is not a bargain at all.”
I wrote about the numbers themselves last week. This is about the room they are discussed in.
The full patient version is on agulloplasticsurgery.com. The fees page is where the numbers live. An exact quote can only be provided after a consultation.
Call (915) 590-7900, text 1-866-814-0038, or book at agulloplasticsurgery.com. #StayBeautiful
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