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Has anyone met with Dr. Myers or made an appointment to meet with him?

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Prostate Cancer
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Posted 5/17/2010 4:30 PM (GMT 0)
Hi guys, I hope you can help me.

I called to make an appointment for my father with Dr. Myers and I am filling out the application right now. Has anyone met with him? If so, is he really as good as people claim him to be?  I read his book and it seems he has a very optimistic attitude in almost every stage of the disease.

Another question: it says the first consultation is 1,600 dollars; that you have to opt-out of insurance coverage but that you are free to bill your insurance on your own for reimbursement. Has anyone done this before? Does your insurance completely reimburse you? Thanks guys!

Posted 5/17/2010 4:42 PM (GMT 0)
I am also in the process of filling out an application to see Dr Meyers. I hope to have it completed by tomorrow. I have also read his book and have had several people recommend that I see him. I live if CT and Dr Meyers is not in my health plans network. I plan to put in a request to them to cover my consultation, but I expect them to deny it. My PCP is very good about fighting them on coverage issues. I think that I have about a 50/50 chance of having the visit paid for, but I plan on seeing him regardless.
Posted 5/17/2010 4:57 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks BB-Fan meeting with him can only help it can't hurt. I want my dad to see him regardless too.
I saw in your profile that you a bone scan showed a lesion on your lower spine, I am so surprised with such a low PSA. I saw in a another posting of yours that your PSA on March 10 was 3.1, was that a typo?
I just know from prior readings that usually nothing shows up on a bone scan if the psa is under 40 and I also remember reading an article where even arthritis or an old fracture can show up on a bone scan and mistakenly be considered a lesion, I dont know. Sorry for the rambling...
Posted 5/17/2010 7:30 PM (GMT 0)
LuvMyDad,

I had a similar question just a few posts down, so you may want to read some of the responses.

As to insurance, many insurers will reimburse at a lower contractual out of network percentage. Also, if your insurance requires a referral, you may need to get a referral from your primary doctor. However, many insurance companies will not reimburse if the referral is out of network.

Posted 5/17/2010 8:12 PM (GMT 0)
LuvMyDad, yes the 3.1 was a typo. Actually PSA when last measured was .31. I was very surprised by the lesion myself. Both my Uro/surgeon and radiation oncologist said that it was probably PCa. I have had some good news recently, a Lumbar MRI shows that it is likely a benign hemangriomata (tangle of blood vessals). I am very relieved as you can imagine, but I don't want to put it in the "bank" yet. I am having a CT Scan to verify tomorrow. BB
Posted 5/17/2010 8:38 PM (GMT 0)
For a doctor or hospital who is completely out of the system, my insurance would cover 90% of the accepted rate (so-called "reasonable and customary") for someone who is in network.
So, my DaVinci billed at $34,000 "retail". The accepted/agreed rate was about $6,000. If I had gone to a hospital / surgeon who did not accept the adjusted rates, I would have submitted $34,000, and gotten paid 90% of $6,000. The rest would be out of pocket (my pocket).

You must be very careful - from the comments, it sounds like he does not accept the "agreed rates", but leaves it up to you to figure it out. I would get a very clear statement from your insurance company for planning.
Posted 5/17/2010 9:31 PM (GMT 0)
When one sees an "out of network" doctor -- where the patient would ordinarily have to pay a substantial fee because of "balance billing" -- it is sometimes possible to neegotiate a lower rate -- particularly if the patient is willing to pay the doctor in full at the time of service and deal with the insurance company himself, rather than having the doc do so. This may not be true for the busiest docs in the country, who "don't need the business" -- but there are plenty of instances where an out of network doctor will agree to accept the "reasonable and customary" charge, or some other negotiated rate. Of course, you have to do this negotiation before the time of service -- after the services have been performed, the patient has no bargaining leverage.  [By the way, I have no reason to believe that Dr. Meyers would do such negotiation -- his is a different type of practice -- so my comment is just a general one, not relating to this particular doctor].
Posted 5/17/2010 9:36 PM (GMT 0)
Oh BB-Fan I am so glad to hear that, thats great news. It just didn't sound right. Good luck on the Ct Scan, im sure it will confirm everything (hopefully to be safe..)

142, your right, I am going to run it with my insurance company first, I just hate dealing with them, I try to avoid it at all costs. But will def. do that, thanks guys
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