12/10/13 - My daughter is scheduled for a tonsillectomy to be performed by one of the physicians at Nevada ENT & Hearing Associates. My daughter (over the age of 18) was told that she was required to pay a $100 surgery deposit. Another one of my daughters (who does not reside with my husband and me) had this same surgery performed in June, 2013 and she paid the ""required"" surgery deposit. When the insurance provider sent the EOB, the co-pay was approximately $47.30, not $100, but my daughter didn't know any better at the time (20 years old and did not consult with me) and she then had to request a refund of the surgery deposit overpayment which took the staff some time to process a refund.\r
My husband and I have very good health insurance (we are very fortunate) and when I called the office this afternoon and spoke to Portia (in billing) , I told her that I would be willing to pay only $48, I was put on hold and then told that the surgery schedulers require a minimum of $100 in order for the phycisian to perform the surgery. I told her that my insurance is clearly on the list that is provided on the office website and that I would only pay $48. She then changed her tune and said that the surgeon required a minimum deposit of $100. This has been the same problem that my daughter has experienced with office visits. The co-pay for the office visits has not been in excess of $11 (approximately $10.49) and my daughter was initially asked to pay a $20 co-pay and then that changed to $30. Each time, my daughter has refused and told the staff upon checkout that the office would be paid what is due upon receipt of the EOB from the insurance provider and a statement from the office showing that the insurance payment was recieved and that the other necessary adjustments have been applied (contracual allowances between the physician and the insurance company).\r
I have had a few surgeries over the past 15 years and have not ever been asked to ""front"" a ""surgery deposit"".\r
This is unfortunate, but my daughter will be forced to fidn another ENT based strictly on principles.
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