I want to cry....In fact, I kinda am.....

After you are done showing him all the numbers.  Take his hand, look him in the eyes and say something like, " Can you place a price tag on having a happy wife, that my dear is priceless.  I need you to be my hero and get this surgery for me now.  I need your support and I love you.  Please help me find a way to make this happen as soon as possible, I need you to be my hero".  Than give him a big kiss and show him some of the great before and after pictures (look on my profile).  Tell him that the ROI is incredible.  :)  Wink, wink. 

find out exactly what the costs are 20 % can be alot of money , my surgeon said the surgery was $37,000 for self pay , but I seen a friends bill that was sent to his insurance company that said $100,000, I don't know if that includes all the testing  or what

but if you need to pay 20% of that that is $20,000,

 most surgeons will take all if not most of the first surgeons tests as long as there done in the USA

 It took me 10 months from when I first seen my surgeon till my surgery , this can be a long process, but it is best to do it right 

 my surgeon said I could see any doctor for all the test but I used his to make things easier

 your hubby can stay at the hospital  or at a motel for the 2 nights you will be in the hospital , and I bet you drive the fifty miles all the time now to go to town

 which surgeon is a better surgeon is a better question ????

Have you checked to see what your cost would be if you kept both insurances? I don't know if they would both work for the Omaha center, but sometimes when you are double insured, the secondary insurance ends up paying whatever the primary does not. That could mean your 20% could really be 20% of 20%, if you get what I am saying. It's worth checking out. Good luck.

You need to REALLY check your policies in this situation.  I am a director at a hospital, and one of my departments is billing.  Many to most commercial insurances these days look at a claim to see what they would have paid if primary, and if the actual primary paid as much or more than they would have as primary, they won't pay any additional money as a secondary insurance.  This makes secondary policies for commercial insurance not worth the cost of the premiums in many cases.

A couple of questions..
Wouldn't your husband's policy be secondary to your policy? In my situation, the 2ndary paid their % after the primary paid. If that's true..are you still required to travel to Omaha for them to pay after the primary?? Also, I would point out that you have medical records to prove you've already done the pre-op requirements and that it will save your hubby's insurance $$ if you don't have to do them again. They may go for it, as insurance (and everything) is money driven.
Good luck!!

Everyone said what I wanted too, so make those calls and double check everything!!