If you are covered by private health insurance, you will need to give us the details of your insurer, including their authorisation code, when making your appointment. Invoices will be sent directly to your insurance company for settlement within a few days of your consultation.
Since there are many health insurance companies, each with different policies and levels of cover, it is worth checking exactly what you are covered for. Many companies have not changed their level of cover in years despite significant rises in inflation and medical indemnity costs.
It is important to be aware that any shortfall in cover would need to be paid by you. We will give you a written estimate of our fees so you are aware of any shortfall before your surgery. A similar situation applies to anaesthetic fees, and the anaesthetic secretary can be contacted on 023 80 251495 (Southampton) 01962 266570 (Winchester) who will also provide you with an estimate.
If your policy does not cover you for consultations, please let us know when making your appointment. We can then arrange for you to settle your account personally.
Finally, it is worth remembering that our relationship is with you, the patient, and not your insurance company. If you have any questions about this, please don’t hesitate to ask.
If you are not insured, we may ask you to provide us with your credit or debit card details at the time of arranging the consultation. We will then send you an account after your consultation. This excludes any costs incurred in the hospital where the consultation takes place, such as blood tests, cervical smears and consumables used. You can pay for consultant fees only over the phone by credit or debit card, or you can pay by cheque.
Sometimes, we find things during an operation which change the nature of the surgery and, as a result, the fees charged. We will discuss these possibilities beforehand.
