There is no standard method for quoting price for cosmetic eyelid surgery, and so buyer beware: the add-ons can be substantial.
When queried by phone, some plastic surgery offices will quote only the "surgeon's fee" for an operation. This practice is, in our opinion, unacceptable and, in some cases, seems to be intentionally misleading. We say this because some of the extra cost "not included" along with this quoted fee may be for services that are absolutely required (that is, not optional) to perform the operation.
You may be subject to any or all of the following costs above and beyond a simple "surgeon's fee":
• Fees for the office operating room, if used
• Fees for free-standing facilities such as hospital or surgicenter, if used
• Fees for administration of any anesthesia
• Fees for an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist, if present
• Fees for before and after photography
• Fees for visual field testing
• Fees for preoperative laboratory testing
• Fees for any laboratory examination of removed tissues
• Costs of required medications for use after surgery
• Costs of required supplies (usually minimal)
Another "gray area" is that of each surgeon's policies regarding the provision of post-operative care. You may want to inquire about:
• The length of routine post-operative care included in the surgeon's fee (typically 60-90 days)
• Payment policy on "touch-ups" to even out small imbalances. It is not at all unreasonable for a surgeon to charge a reduced fee for a second operation requested by the patient to even out small (but functionally insignificant) asymmetry.
In the unlikely event that you experience a major complication or adverse event, be aware that some or all costs associated with "unusual" additional treatment or surgery by your original surgeon and other consultants are NOT typically included in the cost of the primary operation (which, and rightfully so, has been calculated to cover costs of a "routine" case).
If you are under the impression that your medical insurance company will reimburse part or all of your costs, be sure to confirm this with your surgeon ahead of time and also read Chapter 12 below.
According to one published study conducted two years ago surveying total fees for blepharoplasty, add-on costs above the "surgeon's fee" more than doubled the final cost.
To avoid such uncertainty, many surgeons will quote you a "package price" that includes most of the major items and services listed above (although typically not all of the smaller items, such as basic supplies or "unusual" services, such as costs associated with the treatment of complications, etc).
For the protection of both patient and surgeon, many offices will provide you with written clarification of supplies and services included in their typical fees and their policies regarding services provided in the post-operative period.
If you intend shop "cost" over "quality," be sure to think this over. One excellent strategy for lessening your potential exposure to unanticipated expense is to select your surgeon with care. Reputable practitioners will not "nickel-and-dime you to death." Equally important is the obvious fact that the patients of a more skillful and experienced surgeon will generally experience a lessened risk of unexpected or adverse results that can extract both a steep financial and emotional toll.
