consultation fee

I was paying around 150 dollars to see my GI, but when he sent me to a Crohns specialist that was around 350 dollars. 750 sounds extremely high, but I guess it all depends on their experience and where they work.  But seeing as how my Crohns specialist actually has Crohns and will only take the toughest cases (the ones no doctors have been able to help) and my surgeon who is also a professor and writes texts books for medical students, came no where close to 750 to see.  Id say call the office and explain the situation and that your insurance wont cover you seeing him...most will help out.  After my initial visit to my surgeon and him suggesting surgery he waved all fee's because I had no insurance and still continues to do so.

Being that you are in NYC I don't think $750 is totally outrageous. It stinks you have to pay out of pocket - perhaps they will give you a cash discount?

We paid $18,000 for my daughter's colonoscopy/endoscopy at a hospital in Beverly Hills and I was told by the billing person that we were paying higher costs because of the location and the size of the facility!    I wish I knew that before the procedure was done!

What do you expect to get out of this visit? What can this doctor offer that your local docs can't? What if this doc recommends tests, procedures, etc; can you afford continuing treatment at this facility?

While this sounds expensive, is it worth it to you?

I paid $750 as a new patient for a top NY specialist.  Let me tell you, it was well worth the money.  After going through three other gastros, he was the only one who got me better.  You have to pay for the best!