Ten Secrets for Getting High Quality Plastic Surgery at More Affordable Prices
With the advances in medical science and technology and improved social economy, plastic surgery is no longer belongs to rich and famous. In reality more than one third of plastic surgery patients finance their surgery. However, despite significant affordability of the cosmetic surgery it is still carry a high price tag. Like any other business a savvy customer can get bargain prices. The following are few pointers to help turning you to a savvy plastic surgery customer.
1- Don’t be afraid of asking for a discount. This is the first lesson in life, “if you do not ask you won’t not get”.
- Dr Simoni’s Advice: be polite and friendly when asking for discount. If you show un-friendly behavior it may be a sign of how you may behave after you are done with your procedure.
2- Plastic Surgery is seasonal. Certain times of the year is considered quite season for plastic surgery. You may have a better chance of getting you desired fee if you plan your procedure during these times. You can ask the office staff as when is their slow time of the year. Slow times for plastic surgery are usually Septembers and Decembers.
- Dr S Advice: When asking for discount explain your readiness to be flexible with your schedule.
3- Get few quotes. Go to more than one consult, so you get a feel for how much your desired procedure could cost. Tell your plastic surgeon of your previous quotes you have got. You might be able to use the competition as a bargaining chip.
- Dr S Advice: Without glorifying or degrading the previous surgeons you have met, ask you plastic surgeon of what he thinks of your previous quotes. It gives your surgeon a chance to divulge some unknown secrets about other surgeons. “There were times that my patients were confused as how come another doctor office down the block advertises for half of my fee” said Dr Simoni, a Beverly Hills Facial plastic surgeon. “I had to educate my patient that the other physicians are not board certified and/or operate in a non accredited operating room”. “Interesting enough, I still lowered my fee so my patient can get higher quality care without the financial burden” explained Dr Simoni.
- Warning: Make sure you compare apple with apple. You should identify each procedure by its medical name.
4- Go with your friends. Go with couple of your friends that might be interested in the same procedure. Your plastic surgeon would be more inclined to lower his/her fees when foresees future patients.
- Dr S Advice: Make sure your friends reveal their enthusiasm for plastic surgery. Warning: Make sure your friends do not waist time by their own questions. Most probably your doctor has allocated a limited amount of time for you only.
5- Look for newly relocated doctors. Even though rare, but at times an experienced plastic surgeon relocates and looking for new clienteles. That doctor is more inclined to lower his fees at his/her new location. “I am charging half of my regular fees at times since I have relocated to Beverly Hills” explains Dr Payman Simoni.
- Dr S Advice: Look for relocated doctors in desirable locations like California or Florida. Warning: “Always do backgrounds check of your doctor and make sure they are a Board certified Plastic or Facial plastic Surgeon” recommends Dr Simoni. Cosmetic surgeons do not have the same training as plastic surgeons.
6- Check the operating room. Operating room fee is a significant portion of your procedure fees. If your doctor has his/her own operating room (s)he is more able to reduce the fee. Once your doctor has to use outside facility, He has a major fixed expense that cannot be compromised
- Dr S Advice: Make sure the operating room is accredited.
7- Go to a heavily populated plastic surgery area. Despite what you may expect, you can get better deal in areas like Beverly Hills than a remote area.
8- Go to a specialist: Even though it may seem that you pay a little more originally but at the end the chance of needed revision is less. Always remember that the revisions cost way more than primary surgeries. “In some difficult cases I have to charge even double for the revision rhinoplasties when another inexperienced doctor has done some damage” Said Dr Simoni, a rhinoplasty specialist.
9- Try to book your surgery on the same day. If you are sure about the doctor and the procedure and the fee is your only reservation suggest a reduced fee for booking at the same day. Every doctor knows that once you leave the office there is a chance you would not come back. If your doctor is smart (s)he would opt for a reduced fee for a sure thing.
10- Avoid anesthesia if Possible. Anesthesia carries a risk as well as high expense. There are good numbers of plastic surgeries that can be done comfortably without the need for anesthesia. Eliminating anesthesia eliminate a good portion of the cost.
- Dr S Advice: Make sure your doctor is comfortable to do your procedure without anesthesia. It is a skill of its own and not shared by all surgeons. “I do over 90% of my surgeries comfortably without the need for anesthesia” explained Dr Simoni.