Re: Asking for advice on finance question

[Guest guest]

Here is a list of my costs. Keep in mind, this is just outside of Orlando

Florida. Hope it gives you an idea.

Hospital - $31,000.00

Surgeon - $17,000.00

Braces - $6,000.00

Anesthesia - $3,000.00

plus the cost of medications that I did not get a price on, just the co-pay from

the insurance.

So I would say that 40k is getting off real easy.

I had upper and lower jaw surgery with a scew jaw to the right. I was in the

hospital 1 night and in the or for 6 hours.

Hope that helps.

Asking for advice on finance question

I'm a 24 year old graduate student that has been considering jaw

surgery for many years now. I have a misaligned lower jaw that

jaunts forward and skews to the side. I had planned on waiting til

I finished school, but the condition seems to be getting worse.

Plus, I figured it would be easier to go for surgeries on a

student's schedule, and for recovery sake. I'm planning on applying

to a PhD degree and it could take a long time before I graduate.

I've already found an orthodontics and oral surgeon, and I know it

will require a year of braces, jaw surgery, and another year of

braces. The problem is that I have Aetna Student Insurace.

Does anyone know if student insurance covers jaw surgery, and if I

did have to pay out of pocket, is the cost really as absurd as 40k?

Could someone please offer some advice, thanks in advance!

~Terry

[Guest guest]

Hello, Terry.

First, the cost you were quoted is not out of line in the least,

particularly if they're doing surgery on both jaws. I have actually

heard some higher figures quoated.

And that probably does not include the cost of the orthodontics.

What your insurance will or won't cover is another ball of wax. Read

your policy, and ask your surgeon's opinion of your Aetna policy, and

whether he or she can help you with the insurance precertification

and appeals (if necessary). Many insurance companies are truculent

about these matters, although mine, which was not Aetna, was not in

the least.

Good wishes to you.

Cammie

> I'm a 24 year old graduate student that has been considering jaw

> surgery for many years now. I have a misaligned lower jaw that

> jaunts forward and skews to the side. I had planned on waiting til

> I finished school, but the condition seems to be getting worse.

> Plus, I figured it would be easier to go for surgeries on a

> student's schedule, and for recovery sake. I'm planning on

applying

> to a PhD degree and it could take a long time before I graduate.

>

> I've already found an orthodontics and oral surgeon, and I know it

> will require a year of braces, jaw surgery, and another year of

> braces. The problem is that I have Aetna Student Insurace.

>

> Does anyone know if student insurance covers jaw surgery, and if I

> did have to pay out of pocket, is the cost really as absurd as 40k?

>

> Could someone please offer some advice, thanks in advance!

> ~Terry

[Guest guest]

Cammie,

My goal for tomorrow will be to use the word " truculent " at least

twice in a sentence. Thank you -- you made me use dictionary.com

today. What a great word!

-Blake

> > I'm a 24 year old graduate student that has been considering jaw

> > surgery for many years now. I have a misaligned lower jaw that

> > jaunts forward and skews to the side. I had planned on waiting

til

> > I finished school, but the condition seems to be getting worse.

> > Plus, I figured it would be easier to go for surgeries on a

> > student's schedule, and for recovery sake. I'm planning on

> applying

> > to a PhD degree and it could take a long time before I graduate.

> >

> > I've already found an orthodontics and oral surgeon, and I know

it

> > will require a year of braces, jaw surgery, and another year of

> > braces. The problem is that I have Aetna Student Insurace.

> >

> > Does anyone know if student insurance covers jaw surgery, and if

I

> > did have to pay out of pocket, is the cost really as absurd as

40k?

> >

> > Could someone please offer some advice, thanks in advance!

> > ~Terry

[Guest guest]

Terry,

I haven't had my surgery yet (9 days to go!) but I understand that for upper and

lower

I will run up about $40K in bills. This includes two nights in a regular

hospital.

Has your surgeon done a predetermination? That is really the only way to know

if the

insurance will pay. You can call the insurance company and ask them if it is

specifically excluded, but even if it is you can sometimes appeal it and get it

covered.

And even if it ISN " T you can still have them deny you if they don't agree it's

necessary.

If you do have to pay out of pocket there MAY be some things you can do to save,

but

you would need to discuss with your surgeon. I haven't done any of these

things, but

for awhile I thought I might have to pay out of pocket, so I talked to my docs

about it

and this is what they said:

If you only need lower surgery that should be less surgical costs and less time

in the

hospital. I was told that if I only needed lower it would be about $25K. Also,

if your

doc feels you can go in early in the morning and get out in less than 24 hours

you

can save money. If you can do the surgery in a surgery center rather than a

regular

hospital it will probably be cheaper. And if you arrange to pay ahead they

often offer

a substantial discount. You would have to negotiate separate discounts with the

docs

and the surgical facility, but I understand some surgical centers where I live

offer

around 40% off the costs for prepayment. I understand that the

hospital/surgical

center is 50-70% of your cost, so 40% off that would be a lot of savings.

What I ended up doing was finding another insurance policy after my first two

refused

to pay. If your student insurance won't pay you might see if there is any way

you can

get on the policy of a parent or significant other. I got rejected by two

policies (from

two different jobs) before I got on my hubby's plan which agreed to pay.

Insurance is messy and frustrating, and you have much sympathy. Many of us here

have struggled with it. Best of luck!

shazzypupp

> I'm a 24 year old graduate student that has been considering jaw

> surgery for many years now. I have a misaligned lower jaw that

> jaunts forward and skews to the side. I had planned on waiting til

> I finished school, but the condition seems to be getting worse.

> Plus, I figured it would be easier to go for surgeries on a

> student's schedule, and for recovery sake. I'm planning on applying

> to a PhD degree and it could take a long time before I graduate.

>

> I've already found an orthodontics and oral surgeon, and I know it

> will require a year of braces, jaw surgery, and another year of

> braces. The problem is that I have Aetna Student Insurace.

>

> Does anyone know if student insurance covers jaw surgery, and if I

> did have to pay out of pocket, is the cost really as absurd as 40k?

>

> Could someone please offer some advice, thanks in advance!

> ~Terry

[Guest guest]

Another way some folks have saved big bucks is to have the work done

at a school of dentistry. I have known folks who thought it wonderful

to do things that way, and others who found themselves uncomfortable

being examined by so many docs, including residents.

My doc saved me a pile of money by having me check into the hospital

at 12:01 on the Tuesday when he was to do surgery at 7. They were

able to get whatever paperwork done, get the iv going with a load of

antibiotics and steroids before the surgery and I got charged only

for Tuesday... I went home early in the afternoon on Wednesday.

Some people have found home equity loans a good way to do this. I'm

terrified of them, but others are saner on money matters than am I. I

do agree that it's worthwhile to try to find an insurance policy that

will cover it if yours does not, but then you have the specter of pre-

existing condition causing a refusal.

Good wishes to you.

Cammie

[Guest guest]

> > I'm a 24 year old graduate student that has been considering jaw

> > surgery for many years now. I have a misaligned lower jaw that

> > jaunts forward and skews to the side. I had planned on waiting

til

> > I finished school, but the condition seems to be getting worse.

> > Plus, I figured it would be easier to go for surgeries on a

> > student's schedule, and for recovery sake. I'm planning on

applying

> > to a PhD degree and it could take a long time before I graduate.

> >

> > I've already found an orthodontics and oral surgeon, and I know

it

> > will require a year of braces, jaw surgery, and another year of

> > braces. The problem is that I have Aetna Student Insurace.

> >

> > Does anyone know if student insurance covers jaw surgery, and if

I

> > did have to pay out of pocket, is the cost really as absurd as

40k?

> >

> > Could someone please offer some advice, thanks in advance!

> > ~Terry

[Guest guest]

> > I'm a 24 year old graduate student that has been considering jaw

> > surgery for many years now. I have a misaligned lower jaw that

> > jaunts forward and skews to the side. I had planned on waiting

til

> > I finished school, but the condition seems to be getting worse.

> > Plus, I figured it would be easier to go for surgeries on a

> > student's schedule, and for recovery sake. I'm planning on

applying

> > to a PhD degree and it could take a long time before I graduate.

> >

> > I've already found an orthodontics and oral surgeon, and I know

it

> > will require a year of braces, jaw surgery, and another year of

> > braces. The problem is that I have Aetna Student Insurace.

> >

> > Does anyone know if student insurance covers jaw surgery, and if

I

> > did have to pay out of pocket, is the cost really as absurd as

40k?

> >

> > Could someone please offer some advice, thanks in advance!

> > ~Terry

[Guest guest]

> > I'm a 24 year old graduate student that has been considering jaw

> > surgery for many years now. I have a misaligned lower jaw that

> > jaunts forward and skews to the side. I had planned on waiting

til

> > I finished school, but the condition seems to be getting worse.

> > Plus, I figured it would be easier to go for surgeries on a

> > student's schedule, and for recovery sake. I'm planning on

applying

> > to a PhD degree and it could take a long time before I graduate.

> >

> > I've already found an orthodontics and oral surgeon, and I know

it

> > will require a year of braces, jaw surgery, and another year of

> > braces. The problem is that I have Aetna Student Insurace.

> >

> > Does anyone know if student insurance covers jaw surgery, and if

I

> > did have to pay out of pocket, is the cost really as absurd as

40k?

> >

> > Could someone please offer some advice, thanks in advance!

> > ~Terry