"The hospital was average, my main complaint is with there intake personnel, and the billing departments. During intake, there was a change in my surgery as they found a hernia. I was self paying for the tummy tuck, and they were to file on my insurance for the hernia. They never once mentioned in the checking and such, that my insurance did not have them as in network. Had I known this I would have self paid the entire thing. It took me 2.5 mths to have the even submit the bill to my insurance. I had to call numerous times. Once it was submitted it was incorrect with old codes. Then I proceeded to get a bill for $30K, keep in mind I paid 75% of the surgery self pay, and this was suppose to be 25%the hernia only. Now I have tried for months to get this sorted out and finally got an itemized bill, which seems to be for most everything during the surgery instead of just portion of... They said they would look at it again, and they adjusted the bill after my insurance paid $13k, by $2K so now they just billed me for $7K. This has turned out to be my worse nightmare. It took me years to save the $10K and now I have this hanging over my head, and this hospital, does not seem to care one way or another,that this is likely a gross error !! "
"I chose Dr. LoMonaco after 2 other consulations. I have a open gall bladder scar, and he was the most informed about this issue and how it would effect my surgery. Prior to surgery I was told due to the scar that he would not be able to be 'as agressive' with the area above the waist (muffin top). Unfortunately I was very sad to find out that he was not able or did not feel able to do anything above the waist. I was hoping for a 5% change, or an inch or two, but nothing was done. Thus my surgery to me was only 50% a sucess. The lower tummy tuck was great and looks pretty good, althought slightly larger on one side, but still is great. The down side is that my hips are now smaller than my waist and clothes are even hard to fit now than before. But this is the risk I guess we all take. The down side of this experience was with the Hopstial. They were not very capable,in the billing area. I was to have a hernia repair at the same time and was advised that I would self pay the tummy tuck, and then insurance for the herina. The hospital never mentioned my insurance did not have them as in-network, as this all happened late in the game. Had I known, I would have self paid. Take caution in that area! So my cost of $10K for the tummy tuck, was paid in cash, and then the hopstial billed my insuracne for $30K! Now they say I owe them $7K. My gosh this is almost as much for the tummy tuck, which was the bulk of this surgery. It took me calling the hopsital to even get them to bill me for the charges. This has become my worse nightmare. Take heed if you are planning the same, just self pay all of it, in the long run it appears you would save thousands. This 5 star hospital by the way if far from it in the areas of intake and billing. Even after my surgery they were no better than any other, and I rarely saw a nurse especially since my sister stayed with me.
Anyway Dr. LoMonoco is great, but I really question the hopsital, and I am not getting much help from anyone try to sort out this gross error.. or at least I hope it is an error! Like I have another $7K laying around! "
