Surgery Center Fees and Insurance
If you have a PPO or HMO insurance plan, your insurer has established standard fees for most surgical procedures. It is important for you to check with your insurer in advance regarding your level of coverage, your deductible, and your coinsurance. There are many types and levels of coverage, and each person's financial responsibility will differ, depending on their type of plan.
In general, the largest portion of the expense of surgery is from the surgery center fee. We will do everything possible to perform your surgery at a facility that is contracted with your insurance plan. San Mateo Surgery Center is not contracted with any insurance plans, however, we are committed to ensuring that fees at San Mateo Surgery Center are comparable (and in many cases lower) than fees at large hospital surgery centers. If you have any questions about surgery center fees, please ask our office staff.
Bills you will receive:
- Bill from the surgery center (San Mateo Surgery Center, Saint Francis Memorial
Hospital, Mills-Peninsula Hospital, or Sequoia Hospital) that includes:
- Preoperative charges
- Operating room charges
- Recovery room charges
- Medications used during your stay
- Bill from your anesthesiologist. (If your procedure required anesthesia) Your anesthesia charge is not part of the charges from the surgery center, as your anesthesiologist is not employed by the center.
- Bill from a pathologist if your procedure required the submission of a pathology specimen for diagnosis or identification purposes.
- Bill from a lab if you required additional blood work or tests ordered and performed at the surgery center.
- Bill from your physician for the surgical procedures performed at the surgery center.
- In almost all cases, we will give you prescriptions for postoperative pain medication at your preoperative appointment. Please fill these at a pharmacy of your choice before your surgery.
You will most likely have two prescriptions:
- a pain medication, such as Vicodin
- an anti-inflammatory medication called Celebrex. An important note about Celebrex: many insurance companies do not cover Celebrex, and the pharmacy may ask you to pay the retail price. If you do have to pay the retail price, it is generally around $30 at a pharmacy such as Costco or Wal-Mart. I strongly recommend that you get the Celebrex, as it is an extremely effective medication that lowers your need to take pain medication after surgery.
- Patients undergoing surgery such as ACL reconstruction or Rotator Cuff Repair will also receive a device called a "Pain Buster", which is a reservoir of local anesthetic attached to a tiny implantable catheter that I will place in the joint at the time of surgery. For two days after the surgery, the local anesthetic will automatically be pumped into the joint, which is an extremely effective way of reducing pain. The Pain Buster is distributed by an outside company and will be delivered to you a day or two before your surgery.
- Patients undergoing surgery such as ACL reconstruction or Rotator Cuff Repair will receive a cooling device called an "Ice Man". This consists of a pad attached to a motorized cooler that is far more effective than ice packs or a bag of frozen peas. The Ice Man is distributed by an outside company and will be delivered to you a day or two before your surgery.
- A knee brace is required for ACL surgery, and a shoulder brace is required for most shoulder surgeries. These are also distributed by an outside company and will be delivered to you a day or two before your surgery.
- If you receive a Pain Buster, Ice Man, or brace, please bring them with you on the day of your surgery.
Please do not eat or drink anything after midnight on the evening before your surgery. Your surgery will be postponed or cancelled if you do not follow this instruction. You may take blood pressure medication on the morning of surgery with a small sip of water. Do not take any medications for diabetes on the morning of surgery.
- Routine laboratory work will be done the week before surgery. No laboratory work is needed for healthy males under 21 years old, or healthy females under 14 years old. An EKG is needed for all adults over 50 years old, or for anyone on blood pressure medication.
- Stop taking anti-inflammatory medications such as Motrin, Ibuprofen, Aleve, Advil, or Naprosyn one week prior to surgery. You may continue to take Tylenol.
- If you do not feel well on the day of your surgery, please call your surgeon and the center at 415-353-6000 (for surgery at Saint Francis Hospital), or 650-692-1475 (for surgery anywhere on the Peninsula)
- Do not drive.
- Do not make any important decisions.
- Do not sign any legal documents.
- Do not take any non-prescription medications.
- Do not drink alcohol.
- Resume taking your usual medications after you get home from surgery.
- Call your surgeon if you have any unusual symptoms or unexpected changes in your condition on the morning of surgery.
- You may take a shower or bath, but please do not use make-up, hair spray, nail polish or perfumes.
- You may brush your teeth and gargle on the morning of your surgery without swallowing.
- Please wear comfortable loose fitting clothing. These clothing should be easy to put on. Remember, you may have a bulky dressing after surgery and your clothes should be large enough to allow for this. Please leave jewelry and other valuables at home for safekeeping.
- Please leave home in plenty of time to arrive at the time specified in your preoperative instruction packet.
- Medications and anesthesia may be harmful to a fetus, especially in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. If you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant, please contact your surgeon prior to your scheduled surgery.
Check-In
You will generally need to arrive 1 to 1 ½ hours prior to your scheduled surgery time. There will be a few registration forms to fill out.
Preoperative Area
After registration, you will move to the preoperative area where you will meet a registered nurse who will assist you through this phase. You will change in to a loose surgical gown, and you will meet your anesthesiologist.
Surgery
The time you spend in the operating room will depend upon the type of surgical procedure. You can ask me in advance how long your surgery may last. While you are in the operating room, you will receive the highest standard of care by our health care team.
Recovery Phase
In the recovery phase, a registered nurse will be monitoring your heart rate, your blood pressure, and your breathing. You will remain in the recovery phase until you are awake, have your pain managed and your vital signs are stable. When you are awake and alert enough, you will be taken to our Phase II area where you will be readied for discharge. The nurse in this area will offer you beverages and a snack and your family member or friend will be brought to your side. You will be assessed to see if you meet our discharge criteria and if you do you will be discharged into the care of a responsible adult.
Going Home
A staff member will accompany you to your auto so that you can go home and recover. A staff member will also give you a call that evening or the next day to see how you are doing and to answer any questions you might have.
Surgery Center Locations
| San Mateo Surgery Center 66 Bovet Road Suite 101 San Mateo, CA 94402 |
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Saint Francis Memorial Hospital 900 Hyde Street San Francisco, CA 94109 |
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Mills Medical Center 100 S. San Mateo Drive San Mateo, CA 94401 |
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Sequoia Hospital 170 Alameda de las Pulgas Redwood City, CA 94062 |
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