Actually, I find that more and more surgeons and physicians here in New Jersey are dropping out of many of the major plans, if not all of them. Basically, you pay them whatever you're paid by your carrier, then you have to negotiate the balance with the doctor. In fact, the older and more experienced they are, the more likely it seems that they will be very selective, because they already have solid reputations. That's what the neurosurgeon said. The younger guys have to accept insurance, but he doesn't have to anymore. I had abdominal surgery a year ago, and the colorectal surgeon did not accept any insurance. My BC/BS Horizon PPSplan paid me only $1500 of $7000. I negotiated with him and he settled for a lump sum of $3000 which was out of my own pocket, plus the $1500 from the insurance company. Then I found that the anesthesiology department no longer accepted my Horizon PPS, and I paid them $1000 out of my pocket. This was at Englewood Hospital in Bergen County. I can feel for the doctors-they do better by negotiating with the patient rather than accepting a pittance from the insurance company. That's why the plan I asked about at the start of this thread sounded too good to be true-sort of like the neurosurgeon sneaking in behind the otolaryngologist!
