> -----Original Message-----
> From: Helen Dynda [SMTP:olddad66@runestone.net]
> Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2000 6:18 PM
> To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS
> Subject: What is a highly skilled and experienced surgeon worth?
>
> In answer to a letter, which I received today, I said: Yes, I understand
> that Dr. Harry Reich does expect $'s for the initial visit and a
> pre-payment of $'s for the proposed surgical procedure. I am sure that
> Dr. Reich would prefer to NOT have to ask prospective patients to make a
> down payment toward their upcoming surgery; but, unfortunately, Medicare
> and ALL of the other
> insurance companies - such as HMO's, etc. - have caused this to be
> necessary...simply because they have not been fair in the way they have
> been
> re-imbursing surgeons for their professional services.
>
> I had a diagnostic laparoscopy August 01, 1997, which was MORE than just a
> diagnostic laparoscopy. As a result of my diagnostic laparoscopy, my
> surgeon discovered that I had massive adhesions attaching my omentum to my
> abdominal wall. He had to deal with lysing ( cutting ) the adhesions
> BEFORE
> he could investigate the rest of my pelvic cavity!! He had to do an
> adhesiolysis...in addition to the diagnostic laparoscopy!!! He very
> carefully lysed the extensive adhesions, which had formed as a result of
> the
> laparotomy I had in 1970...YES, I said 1970!! These massive adhesions had
> literally and completely glued my incision to my omentum...7" down and 4"
> across my abdominal wall.!! This surgeon was finally able to CORRECTLY
> diagnose the cause of my chronic pain, which I had lived with for 27
> years!!
> My chronic pain had NEVER before been diagnosed correctly...until this
> August 1997 surgery!!!
>
> I am on Medicare...with Blue Cross as my supplement. So how did Medicare
> reimburse my surgeon, the hospital and the anesthesist? FAR LESS than
> they
> should have been compensated!! Medicare ( and possibly all insurance
> companies ) has a list which gives the $ amount of what they feel each
> surgical procedure is worth; and it is a list which they never waver
> from.
> If a surgery is a diagnostic surgery, their list says that this procedure
> is
> worth so many $'s...and NO more. When the diagnostic laparoscopy is a
> very
> difficult surgical procedure, such as mine was, Medicare ( and other
> insurance companies ) pays the surgeon the exact same amount that is paid
> for a simple diagnostic laparoscopy. It does not matter if the surgery
> takes less than an hour...or if the surgery takes several hours.
>
> We, who have had surgery for adhesions, know that a surgery for adhesions
> can take many hours for the surgeon to complete! I watched Bev's video of
> her adhesiolysis. Dr. Reich was Bev's surgeon. Her surgery took 5
> hours!!
> I also viewed Deb's video, which was also performed by Dr. Reich. Deb's
> surgery for adhesions took 10 hours for Dr. Reich to complete!!! There is
> NO way for the surgeon to know ahead of time how much time a patient's
> surgery will take...and Medicare and all the other insurance companies
> don't
> seem to understand this!!
>
> Now, do you understand what has happened as a result of Medicare ( and
> other
> insurance companies ) controlling the amounts paid for the various
> surgical
> procedures? This kind of control has given surgeons a very good reason to
> want to be sure that they are adequately compensated for the very
> difficult,
> time-consuming, and dangerous job that surgeries for adhesions are. So,
> to
> protect their own interests, many surgeons are asking for a down-payment
> BEFORE the surgical procedure is scheduled. Once the surgeon has been
> reimbursed by Medicare ( or any other insurance company ), then surgeons
> may
> be able to refund part of the down-payment...depending upon the $'s
> received
> from Medicare ( and any other insurance company ).
>
> Dr. Harry Reich is recognized as being the BEST laparoscopic surgeon in
> the
> world!! For that recognition...a patient of his is going to have to
> expect
> to pay more!! This is only fair!! Remember...he is very skilled and very
> experienced at what he does best...laparoscopic surgery
>
> There are not ANY surgeons who really want to do surgery for
> adhesions...unless the patient is suffering an emergency
situation...such
> as
> a bowel obstruction. Adhesion surgeries are very difficult, are
> time-consuming, require alot of skill, are dangerous for the patient, and
> can be so very,very discouraging for the surgeon. Why? Because adhesion
> are the way our body heals itself!! Each surgery will cause even more
> adhesions to form....UNLESS the surgeon uses every technique he can muster
> up to be the victor over adhesions. This is what Dr. Reich is able to
> give
> to his patients!! He is willing to dedicate his surgical expertise to
> battle adhesions in the way that he knows best.
>
> If you are tired of taking expensive pain medications to relieve your
> pain...and still you are experiencing pain...and if you are determined to
> give surgery a try, BE SURE TO CHOOSE THE BEST SURGEON YOU CAN FIND!! It
> is
> the surgeon, whom you choose, who can make the difference as to whether
> you
> will have further problems with adhesions!!! There are NO surgeons who
> can
> guarantee that your adhesions will not re-form!! BUT the best surgeons
> will
> do everything within their power to try to help you become
adhesion-free.
>
> Currently, to the best of my knowledge, the only adhesion experts in the
> United States are Dr. Harry Reich and Dr. Jay Redan...who together opened
> the very first Adhesions Unit at Community Medical Center in Scranton, PA.
> Dr. Matthias Korell of Duisburg, Germany shares the spotlight as also
> being
> an expert in doing surgery for adhesions. Dr. Korell recently performed
> an
> adhesiolysis and a second-look laparoscopy for Mary Pomroy, who had a very
> severe case of adhesions. Our Bev ( bnb@cybrzn.com )and Mary will have
> alot
> of excellent information to share; which will help to make it easier for
> others to consider traveling to Germany for adhesion surgery.
>
> I hope that I have explained this in a way which will help you to
> understand
> why prospective surgical patients are expected to make a downpayment, if
> they want the surgical services of one of the best adhesion specialists in
> the world. You, of course, are free to seek the services of any surgeon
> you
> want. As for me, I have decided to have Dr. Harry Reich as my surgeon.
> My
> appointment date is pending.
>
http://www.adhesions.org/forums/listcmds.htm
>
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