Why Did I Get an Anesthesia Bill for $1200 After Paying $6300 for Breast Augmentation?

One possible scenario is that the surgery took longer than expected. Breast Augmentation is usually quoted for a typical amount of surgical time. In my surgery center--it is quoted based on 2 hours of surgery.   However, a case can sometimes go longer than the average. While this is unusual, it does happen. If the surgery is much longer than the average estimated time, some Facilities will balance bill for the extra time in the OR.  However, all of this should be stated in the Quotation that you received prior to surgery. 

Alternatively, it could be a mistake, or perhaps the anesthesia bill was not part of the original fee quotation. You should call the office and speak with the person who quoted the procedure.

 

 

Speak with your surgeon. You should have been told all the associated fees before your surgery. This may be something you were told you will owe, or it may be an error.

Depending on how you paid for your surgery there may be any error.  There are three components of the breast augmentation fees. the surgeon's fee which usually includes the implants, the anesthesia fee, and the OR or operating facility fee.  Check you original estimate to see where you were to pay each component. If you have already paid for anesthesia then the error is in Anesthesia Billing Department.  This has happened many times in cases across the country.  Ask your Plastic Surgeon and he will get it clarified for you.

    This can be a source of frustration for patients, so I typically cluster all of the fees together so that there are no surprise charges.  I would ask the plastic surgeon's office about it, as the staff can likely give you more information on policies of that office.  Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

can sometimes surface but you should contact your doctor's office and have their staff resolve this for you IF your estimate included EVERYTHING (implant, facility, anesthesia and surgeon fees).  If it did not and you were not clearly told this, then your doctor was not clear with you about what costs you are responsible for and you have a legitimate gripe if this was the scenario.  Sometimes cases go long but I cannot imagine an additional fee of $1200 for anesthesia... but this should also have been made clear to you before you 'signed up'.  Hope you can resolve this with your surgeon and his anesthesia provider as these surprises usually never happen with cosmetic surgery.