Frequently Asked Questions
Referrals and payment
Do I need a referral from my GP or Physiotherapist?
Most medical insurers request a referral from your GP or other specialist before agreeing to cover costs. Please contact your insurer before your first appointment to clarify what your policy requires. If any queries are raised by your insurer, please contact my secretary on 01689 485 495 or e-mail [email protected]
What if I don't have health insurance?
If you are not insured don’t worry – click here to Contact Us
Will my private medical insurance cover my orthopaedic treatment?
I am recognised as a Specialist Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon by all major insurance companies. Please contact your insurance company before your first consultation and for all subsequent visits and investigations or interventions. You will need to obtain a preauthorisation number for each of these episodes. Please read the guidance from the Federation of Independent Practitioner Organisations (FIPO).
How much do the consultations cost?
I charge within all health insurers limits and you should not have any out of pocket expenses, except where a policy excess is due. As long as you gain prior approval from your insurer, my billings team will liaise directly with the insurer for all billing and invoicing related issues.
Please be careful to check that your care is covered by your insurance company. Please check the fine print of your Private insurance contract for “excess payments” on your policy. If an excess is due you will be contacted by medical healthcare management limited subsequent to your appointment to arrange for payment of the excess.
Can I refer myself?
If you are self funding (paying yourself rather than using a health insurer), you can refer yourself. However, if you are using health insurance, a referral from your GP or other specialist is usually required.
What if I don’t have health insurance (I am self funding)?
If you are not insured, don’t worry. Please contact my secretary on 01689 485 495 or e-mail [email protected] for details on consultation fees. An estimate for investigations or surgery can also be obtained. The figures quoted are always guide prices and are based on the information provided by you.
I am self funding – when will I have to pay?
So that I can focus solely on your medical treatment, all invoicing and billing is done separately by an independent company, medical healthcare management limited. They will contact you subsequent to your appointment to arrange invoice payment.
For surgical procedures, fees are payable to the hospital prior to admission. For common procedures, I try to make an arrangement with the hospital to offer a “package” which includes all costs relating to the surgery and follow up appointments including my fee. This is preferable as it allows you to get the best idea about how much your treatment will cost. Otherwise, the hospital and I bill separately, with the hospital billing for all costs relating to the surgery and my bill coming from medical healthcare management limited. I will always be completely transparent about my fees and do my best to give you the best estimate related to the total cost of treatment before we proceed.