One of the first concerns most people have when they find out they need to have surgery or a major medical treatment of any kind is whether or not their insurance will pick up the bill and how difficult it will be to find a doctor to provide the needed treatment. Footing any major medical expense without insurance can be a complete nightmare, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’ve been recommended for Gamma Knife radiosurgery, you may be wondering, “Is Gamma Knife covered by insurance?” Luckily, in the majority of instances, Gamma Knife is eligible and you’ll be able to receive the treatment you need.
The Ins and Outs of Gamma Knife Surgery and Insurance
Insurance can be confusing at best. When is Gamma Knife covered by insurance? When is it not? In many instances, it won’t be a problem to find out what sort of coverage you have and how to go about receiving the full benefits your plan has to offer. In others, it can be a bit tricky to get the exact details right up front, so don’t get discouraged! Read on for more tips on making the insurance aspect of your treatment as painless as possible.
Finding a Reputable In-Network Surgeon
First and foremost, you need to find out if your insurance plan will cover Gamma Knife radiosurgery for your condition. Considering it is one of the most widely used non-invasive treatments for conditions such as trigeminal neuralgia, it isn’t any wonder why more surgeons are starting to offer it as a treatment option. It’s important that you find a neurosurgeon with a great deal of experience and expertise with not only your condition, but also with properly using Gamma Knife as a form of treatment.
The best place to begin looking for a surgeon with top qualifications that also accepts your insurance is in your carrier’s provider directory. If you were not given a listing of all in-network providers when you signed on (they should be updated periodically), you can often find this information online or by calling customer service and asking for a list of neurosurgeons. Once you have this information in-hand, you can start doing your homework.
Some of the top things you need to learn about a surgeon before making your decision include:
- How long has he or she been a practicing neurosurgeon?
- Are they capable and well-versed in performing Gamma Knife radiosurgery for your condition?
- Does he or she carry a board certification in neurosurgery?
- What is their reputation like? (You can access this information through online ratings sites such as healthgrades.com)
- How many Gamma Knife surgeries has he or she performed during the length of their career?
- Do you feel comfortable with this surgeon? Do you trust him or her?
The questions above are just the tip of the iceberg, but they should give you a general idea of what you need to learn before deciding on whether to go with a particular surgeon or keep looking.
Ensuring You’re Covered
In some cases, a surgeon may show up on a listing as an in-network provider for your insurance plan, but isn’t anymore for one reason or another. This is why it’s very important to do your due diligence to make sure you aren’t stuck with a large bill once your procedure is completed. To avoid this pitfall, ask the provider you settle on to seek pre-approval for your Gamma Knife procedure. This is the best way to make sure that you don’t fall into the trap.
Out-of-Network Providers
Depending on where you live and the availability of services in your area, there may not be a large number of options to choose from when looking for a qualified surgeon. It can become even more confusing when the best neurosurgeon around is out-of-network. At this point you may need to become resourceful – your insurance may make an exception and pay for an out-of-network surgeon in cases where there isn’t much (if any) choice in providers.
Making the Right Decision
Once you’ve interviewed your prospective surgeon(s), you can make the choice of who you feel most comfortable with and who you think will provide you with the best care. Then you will begin the process of scheduling consultations, diagnostics and imaging that may be necessary prior to your Gamma Knife procedure. His or her staff will take care of the billing and other details of the insurance claim so that you can take care of the most vital piece in all of this – you.
In the end, your health is the most important piece of the puzzle. If you cannot find a surgeon close by that your insurance will pay for, consider venturing a bit further out. Most major cities (and some smaller ones) have extensive networks of healthcare providers, making it easier to find a qualified and covered surgeon. You deserve to have the best care possible and still be able to receive the benefits your insurance affords you.
