Surgery financing scam.... how much did your surgery cost?
 

I know someone who was in an accident years ago that kicked off a horrific ordeal of chronic pain and failed surgery.

After failing conservative treatment, his surgeon recommended 2-level 360 lumbar fusion. The patient was uninsured, so his surgeon recommended a medical finance company. "No problem, they'll finance the surgery against a lien on your settlement... it won't cost you anything!"

Now, years later, he's coming to the end of litigating the accident. He's lost everything and is still not only functionally disabled, but in pain all day every day. The 2-level 360 fusion that I see commonly done under 100k, generated a lien for expenses of 300K against the settlement. Since everyone is in line first and because the lawyers take is based on the entire settlement, covering the lawyers cut on the settlement... just covering the surgery adds almost another 120K. That means that whatever comes of the settlement, 420k only covers the surgery... nothing else.

My questions to the patient community are:

>> If you have a lumbar fusion... what did it cost. When? Where?

>> Do you have experience with medical finance companies?

I get so mad when I think about this!

All the best,

Mark

That is a heart breaking story.

I had the one level dynesys fusion in Vallejo, Ca with 4 day hospital stay for about $80,000. I was lucky to have Ins cover all of it.

I wonder what the finance charges for these type loans are?

Someone is always taking advantage of people who are down. Makes me sick to think that this guy might have nothing left to take care of himself with. It doesn't sound like he is able to work anymore either.

Mark, I had a posterior lumbar fusion from L4-S-1. The total costs thus far have been below 200k according to the medical notices that I have been receiving from the insurance company. I think they may have payed about 10% of that due to agreements. I have saved everyone. So if they are needed to compare for litigation, I have no problem faxing them over.

As far as Medical Financing, I have been a Finance Manager/Broker for about 15 years. The only company that I am aware of that does this type of financing is or was JayHawk's Medical Finance. Their product did not work in the Auto industry and they went to the medical industry, financing anything from Major surgeries to cosmetic surgery. Which I believe they filed for Chapter 11 a couple of years ago.

Jayhawk Acceptance Corp. reaches agreement withprimary lenders and files plan of reorganization. | Company Activities & Management > Financial Performance & Reports from AllBusiness.com

It sounds like to me the Medical system he used is taking him deep due to the difference in costs between the insured and uninsured.

If I can help in anyway, let me know.

Here are a couple of others I searched for...

Reliance Medical Finance

MyMedicalLoan.com - Loans for cosmetic, visions, dentistry and other medical procedures.

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You can also look for other surgical financing organization that provides loans even you have bad credit history.
http://www.ispine.org/forum/ispine/1...gery-cost.html
Bad Credit Plastic Surgery Loans | Bad Credit Cosmetic Surgery Loans

In the rest of the world sick people are patients. In the greedy US we are customers.

Next time the Muslims attack I hope they hit the FDA.

what I was quoted for surgery alone
 

That's seriously horrific on part of "healthcare" to bleed someone that way financially or scam them. I hope that if this goes to court all costs will be wiped from the slate.

Back in the early 2000's I was quoted $120,000 for a 3 level global fusion. WC would covered it. I have no idea other than the surgery what else would have been tacked on though with my luck with surgeries probably a lot more in terms of post op care/treatment.

I realize this isn't helpful as this person needs cold hard data for comparison in terms of cost that are reasonable for this type of surgery/care.