It’s been quite a while since I first posted this, but I wanted to clear things up a bit. We’re talking about bimaxillary osteotomy here. I won’t name the specific doctor right now, but let me tell you, everything was already coordinated during the shift through another physician my husband was referred to. The referral was perfectly valid. Honestly, it just feels like they were trying to make sure the money went straight into one specific pocket because they act like they're the only ones capable of doing the procedure.
In the meantime, my husband found an orthodontist for his braces, who then referred him to a colleague practicing in San Francisco. That specialist works closely with the surgeons over at the Mayo Clinic, where these types of surgeries are performed too! So, about two years ago now, my husband went to San Francisco for the operation, and everything went smoothly. He didn't have to pay a single cent to the hospital or for the surgery itself... though he wasn't eligible for travel reimbursement since New York City is closer. And hey, while he was sorted, my little guy and I actually got to take a ten-day vacation by the coast. 😁 He managed to get everything resolved much faster than if we had stayed in NYC. He’ll be wearing braces soon, but he actually already had them removed last year. Apparently, if you try to go through the system in Brooklyn, the waiting list for an orthodontist is about two years long.
You really just have to dig around and find someone who actually knows more than the bureaucrats over at CMS... By the way, all the doctors and staff in San Francisco were incredibly kind and attentive. The surgeon even showed up on his day off during the weekend just to check on patients and see what they needed. It felt like being in a different country, not just a different city! You just have to stick to your guns and stay persistent. On top of that, the braces were going to cost nearly $20,000. But since my husband has dealt with this issue since he was a kid, thanks to a lot of hard work and pushing back, CMS actually approved both the braces and the surgery. Total costs ended up being around $40,000... anything is possible if you don't lose hope.
In the meantime, my husband found an orthodontist for his braces, who then referred him to a colleague practicing in San Francisco. That specialist works closely with the surgeons over at the Mayo Clinic, where these types of surgeries are performed too! So, about two years ago now, my husband went to San Francisco for the operation, and everything went smoothly. He didn't have to pay a single cent to the hospital or for the surgery itself... though he wasn't eligible for travel reimbursement since New York City is closer. And hey, while he was sorted, my little guy and I actually got to take a ten-day vacation by the coast. 😁 He managed to get everything resolved much faster than if we had stayed in NYC. He’ll be wearing braces soon, but he actually already had them removed last year. Apparently, if you try to go through the system in Brooklyn, the waiting list for an orthodontist is about two years long.
You really just have to dig around and find someone who actually knows more than the bureaucrats over at CMS... By the way, all the doctors and staff in San Francisco were incredibly kind and attentive. The surgeon even showed up on his day off during the weekend just to check on patients and see what they needed. It felt like being in a different country, not just a different city! You just have to stick to your guns and stay persistent. On top of that, the braces were going to cost nearly $20,000. But since my husband has dealt with this issue since he was a kid, thanks to a lot of hard work and pushing back, CMS actually approved both the braces and the surgery. Total costs ended up being around $40,000... anything is possible if you don't lose hope.