SutureCredentials & Network Affiliations
Board Certified
American Board of Surgery
Hospital Affiliate
Regional Medical Center
Top Surgeon 2025
Pacific Northwest Region
ACS Fellow
American College of Surgeons
Minimally Invasive
Laparoscopic Specialist
Quality Certified
Joint Commission Accredited
Transparent Billing.
Every Plan.
Every Question. Answered.
Before your procedure, you deserve to know exactly what you owe — and why. No buried copay surprises. No coded jargon left untranslated.
Insurance Plans Accepted
in-network
Years in Practice
board certified
Facility Locations
all networks accepted
Hidden Fees
guaranteed
Expert Voices
Every billing question,
answered by the right person.
Dr. Marcus Webb, MD, FACS
General Surgeon
Patient Question
"Why does my procedure require pre-authorization, and what happens if I skip it?"
Pre-authorization protects your wallet, not the insurance company.
- Pre-auth confirms your plan covers the specific procedure code before surgery
- Without it, your claim can be denied — leaving you with the full bill
- We submit pre-auth requests on your behalf, typically 3–5 business days before your procedure
- Urgent procedures have expedited pathways — same-day approval is possible
In Depth
How pre-authorization actually works at this practice
When you schedule a procedure, our billing team pulls your insurance details and identifies every CPT code that will appear on your claim. We submit a prior authorization request directly to your insurer with your diagnosis codes (ICD-10), the procedure codes, and supporting clinical notes.
Most commercial plans respond within 48–72 hours. Medicare and Medicaid procedures rarely require prior auth. If your insurer requests additional documentation — a peer-to-peer review, additional imaging reports — we handle that communication entirely. You will receive a written confirmation of your authorization number before any procedure is performed.
If authorization is denied, we will explain exactly why, what appeals are available, and whether a peer-to-peer review with your insurer's medical director could reverse the decision. You will never be surprised by a denial on the day of surgery.
Sandra Okonkwo, CPC
Certified Professional Coder
Patient Question
"My EOB shows CPT 47562 — what does that mean for what I actually owe?"
CPT codes are procedure shorthand. Here's the translation.
- CPT 47562 = laparoscopic cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal)
- Your EOB shows the allowed amount, not the billed amount — that difference is contractual
- Your responsibility = deductible remaining + coinsurance percentage of the allowed amount
- Facility fees and anesthesia bill separately under different CPT codes
In Depth
The five numbers on your Explanation of Benefits — decoded
Your EOB contains five critical figures. Here is what each one means for your out-of-pocket cost:
1. Billed Amount — what the practice submitted to your insurer. This is not what you owe. 2. Allowed Amount — the negotiated rate your insurer has contracted with this practice. Significantly lower than billed for in-network claims. 3. Plan Paid — what your insurance company pays directly to the practice after applying your deductible and coinsurance. 4. Patient Responsibility — the amount you actually owe. Equals: (allowed amount × coinsurance %) + any remaining deductible. 5. Non-Covered Amount — charges your plan explicitly excludes. Rare for standard surgical procedures but may appear for elective additions.
Common CPT codes for procedures performed at this practice: 47562 (lap chole), 49650 (lap inguinal hernia), 47563 (lap chole with cholangiogram), 60252 (thyroid lobectomy), 11400–11446 (skin/soft tissue excision). We are happy to provide a pre-surgery cost estimate using your specific plan's allowed amounts — ask our billing team.
Jennifer Hartwell
Financial Coordinator
Patient Question
"I'm uninsured. What does a hernia repair actually cost, and can I pay over time?"
Self-pay pricing is transparent, negotiable, and payment-plan eligible.
- Published self-pay rates for all common procedures — no price discovery required
- Self-pay discount of 30–40% applied automatically (no negotiation needed)
- Payment plans from 3 to 24 months at 0% interest for balances under $5,000
- Financial hardship applications available — income-based sliding scale
In Depth
Self-pay pricing for the five most common procedures
The following self-pay rates include surgeon fee only. Facility and anesthesia fees are billed separately and listed in our full fee guide.
Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia Repair (49650): $2,800 – $3,400 Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (47562): $3,100 – $3,900 Laparoscopic Appendectomy (44950): $2,600 – $3,200 Thyroid Lobectomy (60252): $3,800 – $4,600 Skin/Soft Tissue Excision (11400–11446): $800 – $1,600
Payment plan options: — 3-month plan: Divide total by 3, first payment due at time of service — 12-month plan: Available for balances over $1,500, first payment due 30 days post-procedure — 24-month plan: Available for balances over $3,000, requires brief financial intake
We accept all major credit cards, HSA/FSA cards, CareCredit, and bank transfer. A $150 non-refundable scheduling deposit is required for all self-pay patients, applied toward your total balance.
Thomas Reyes
Insurance Verification Specialist
Patient Question
"How do I confirm I'm actually in-network before surgery day — not after?"
Verify in 48 hours. Three steps. No phone hold music.
- Submit your insurance card front and back via our secure patient portal
- We verify your specific plan tier, not just the carrier name — PPO vs HMO matters
- Written confirmation sent within 2 business days with your estimated patient responsibility
- Referring PCPs: fax your patient's insurance info to (503) 555-0182 for expedited verification
In Depth
What "in-network" actually means — and the questions to ask your insurer
Being "in-network" with a carrier does not automatically mean you are in-network with every plan that carrier offers. A surgeon may be in-network for a carrier's PPO products but out-of-network for their HMO or EPO products. Always verify by plan, not by carrier.
Questions to ask your insurer before any procedure: 1. "Is Dr. [Name] a participating provider under my specific plan ID?" 2. "What is my in-network deductible, and how much have I met this year?" 3."What is my in-network coinsurance for outpatient surgery?" 4."Does this procedure require prior authorization under my plan?" 5."Is [Facility Name] in-network under my plan for this procedure?"
When you submit your insurance card to our office, our verification team calls your insurer directly and asks all five questions on your behalf. We document the representative's name, the call reference number, and the date — creating a paper trail that protects you if your insurer later disputes the coverage determination.
Out-of-network patients: We will provide a Good Faith Estimate in compliance with the No Surprises Act within 3 business days of your request.
Accepted Plans
Your plan is
probably in-network.
We accept 40+ insurance plans. Carrier name alone doesn't determine coverage — your specific plan tier does.
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Aetna
UnitedHealthcare
Cigna
Humana
Kaiser Permanente
Anthem
Medicare
Medicaid / OHP
Tricare
Providence Health
Regence
Pacific Source
Moda Health
HealthNet
Samaritan Health
Don't see your plan?
We verify coverage for all major carriers. Submit your card and we'll confirm within 48 hours.
No Surprises Act: Out-of-network patients are entitled to a Good Faith Estimate before any scheduled procedure. Request yours by calling (503) 555-0100 or via the patient portal.
Patient Voices
The calm exhale
after every question is answered.
"I called three other surgeons' offices and couldn't get a straight answer on what my out-of-pocket would be. Here, they sent me a written estimate before I even scheduled. I knew exactly what I'd owe before the procedure."
Patricia L.
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
"I'm a contractor without insurance. The self-pay rate was posted right on their website, the payment plan was 0% interest, and my total came in under the estimate. No surprises, which was the only thing I needed."
Damian R.
Inguinal Hernia Repair
"As an office manager sending referrals, I need network confirmation fast. Their verification team faxed back written confirmation within a business day. That's rare."
Connie M.
Referring PCP Office Manager
Self-Pay Resource
Complete Fee Guide
Every procedure.
Every price. Published.
Our self-pay fee schedule covers 60+ procedure codes — surgeon fee, facility estimates, and anesthesia ranges. Download it, share it with your accountant, use it to compare. No email required to view rates online, but we'll send a formatted PDF directly to your inbox.
- 60+ CPT codes with self-pay rates
- Facility fee estimates by location
- Anesthesia time-unit ranges
- Payment plan eligibility by balance
Ready to Schedule?
Billing questions answered
before you book.
Speak directly with our financial coordinator before scheduling. No hold music. No runaround. A real person who knows your plan.