Tuck n Stitch

YourNewBodyBlog.com welcomes Dr. Stuart Linder and Dr. Robert Kotler, two prominent Beverly Hills plastic surgeons.

With a practice exclusively devoted to cosmetic plastic surgery of the face and neck, Dr. Kotler is known as the “FaceDocBlogger.” Dr. Linder, who is known here as the “BodyDocBlogger,” specializes in plastic surgery procedures of the body.

Exclusive to YourNewBodyBlog.com, Doctors Kotler and Linder are reputable plastic surgery insiders with unique takes on the news, trends and practices in cosmetic plastic surgery.

This Week: Negotiate Fees with Your Plastic Surgeon!

At a time when families are more concerned than ever about budgets, spending and costs, it comes as good news for many that you may be able to get a discount on the cost of a plastic surgery procedure you’ve had in the back of your mind.

But you have to play your cards right and be willing to have surgery during the surgeons’ slower times of the year.

(Oleg Prikhodko photo)

The BodyDocBlogger and FaceDocBlogger talk about a few common ways to make your procedure more affordable:

BodyDocBlogger (Dr. Linder): Seasonality is huge in plastic surgery! I think my wife summed it up best when she said: “The schools dictate your industry.” When the kids are in school, we are busier. Summer is the slowest for us because families are on vacation.

FaceDocBlogger (Dr. Kotler): Because many of our patients are older and are having facelifts, eyelid lifts, and chemical wrinkle removal, our seasonality is different. From Thanksgiving through December 31, we are extremely busy. Late spring, summer and early fall — when older students are out of school — is also very busy. For that group, it’s nose jobs and chin implants. The only less busy time is typically the first two months of the year, when adults are back working and students are back in school.

BodyDocBlogger: For body procedures, the busiest times are from Thanksgiving through New Year’s, and again during April through July. We see some slowdown at the end of August and September. Our schedule gets more crowded again in October.

FaceDocBlogger: We may be able to offer courtesy discounts up to 25 percent during those times of the year when surgery is less requested. That helps create an efficient, full surgery schedule for us. Of course, the exact amount depends on the availability of the anesthesiologist and the surgery center, both of which also have a vested interest in maximizing their services.

BodyDocBlogger: I don’t want to sound overly commercial, but you can also save by using what I facetiously call “the friends and family group discount plan.” If two people want to have an initial consultation, the fee is the same. If two people, say, a husband and wife or siblings, have a procedure together, it will cost less than two separate surgeries. If two patients take one room at a recovery center, it won’t cost double.

FaceDocBlogger: What other savings are available?

BodyDocBlogger: Additional discounts are available for those who can fill a vacancy on a stand-by basis. Usually, when such an opening develops, patients have one to two weeks notice to fill the slot and receive a significant discount. Patients with very adjustable schedules can give the surgeon’s office a list of dates on which they can have surgery. Discounts can also be found on the fees of the recovery center when both occupy a double room.

FaceDocBlogger: If we have a cancellation — like we do almost weekly — we won’t call you the night before surgery, but if a week or ten days prior notice is okay, that’s a win-win situation for everybody.

BodyDocBlogger: Let’s talk about insurance. In the world of body procedures, insurance companies may cover a portion — or even most — of a breast reduction because very large breasts can adversely affect a woman’s overall health. What about the face, doctor?

FaceDocBlogger: Insurance benefits are available to nasal surgery patients who must improve breathing or prevent sinus problems. In December, the demand for functional nasal surgery increases from both younger and older patients who are anxious to reap the benefits of their insurance deductibles and co-pays, which usually have been satisfied by then.

BodyDocBlogger: Speaking of fees — at any time of the year –it’s smart to call the office of the plastic surgeon you are considering and ask about the range of fees for the procedure you want. You need to know if you are in the ball park of that practice. Calling several nearby offices will give you a reading on the usual, customary charges.

FaceDocBlogger: We have patients create their own “layaway plan,” just like department stores do for far-sighted Christmas shoppers. Patients generate a significant discount when they make monthly payments before surgery so that they are paid up by the date of the surgery. That really makes sense because it is a form of zero-interest, self-financing.

Have a question for FaceDocBlogger or BodyDocBlogger? Let us know and we’ll do our best to have it answered. Feel free to leave your comments below!

*The opinions shared by FaceDocBlogger and/or BodyDocBlogger are their own personal professional viewpoints and in no way should be taken in place of an actual consultation with a licensed medical physician. The opinions of Tuck ‘n’ Stitch are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the opinions/feelings of YourNewBodyBlog.com.