In many large cities plastic surgeons demand a non returnable deposit when the surgery is scheduled and demand full payment in advance of the surgery. The deposit is 10% of the surgical fee or about $500.00 for a simple face lift. If the surgeon does not inform you of all you should know before payment is made, and then after payment is made, inform you of some unacceptable risks,
If you then cancel the surgery, should you demand that all your payments be returned to you.
Answer:
A doctor should tell the patient all important information about the illness and about the surgery. Reveling dangerous aspects of surgery after receiving a non refundable deposit is tantamount to bait and switch.
Of course.
In Miami and New York, I have heard, there is a lot of problems encountered by people having plastic surgery.
Many patients think that if a plastic surgeon is really a plastic surgeon, board certified and member of the society of plastic surgeons, the patients think that that will protect them from unethical business practices. Far from it, as the question above implies.
The most important thing for me is:
when did the surgeon complete his plastic surgical training ?
If the surgeons training is over 15 years old, bad news. Why? because, even if, the surgeon may know about the latest surgical techniques in plastic surgery, he has not been trained in them and he certainly has not been practicing them. So, sister, get yourself a recently university trained surgeon, your shape is too important to not be careful.
I have heard of some horror stories.
Your question was concerning the financial end of plastic surgery. It stands to reason you would only choose a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, and examine his hospital affiliation, placement on the staff of plastic surgeons at that hospital, and his malpractice insurance coverage. Then check with the local medical association to see if there are any malpractice claims against him/her.
It is really up to YOU to do your homework and find out the correct name of the procedure being done and all the complications that can arise from that procedure, and lastly the recovery time.
Then research it, research it to death. Anything that the surgeon FORGOT to mention, and there should be none if you are going to a good one, should be discussed with the surgeon directly. Don't get a secondary answer through a Nurse or other staff member. If needed to clarify your concerns, the staff should offer you another visit with the doctor free of charge to allay all your questions and concerns.
Now financially. If surgery has to be cancelled because the patient is not well, or the patient changes their mind within a reasonable period of time prior to surgery (usually 10 days,so another surgery can be booked in it's place), you should be entitled to ALL your deposit money back. Because Insurance does not cover 99% of plastic surgery procedures, as I am sure you are aware, the physician wants the full payment for the procedure before that procedure is done, and this is standard procedure. Also one other thing, make sure the plastic surgeon you choose to do the procedure, is the one who actually does the procedure. You can always tell them that there could be a review of surgical records.
I would check out the type of anesthesia that is being used also. I don't mean general, BUT what type of medication will be used. This is something you learn when they have you in for pre-op testing.
Check it all out and you will be a well informed and relaxed patient.
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