@gratefulbob

My incredible surgeon does not take medicare nor insurance. But his office will process the surgery with your insurance company. So my surgeon's fee was $5,500 but the rest of the cost (outpatient facility, robot use, etc.) was covered by my Medicare Advantage PPO plan (which, incidentally, is the only Medicare Advantage Plan accepted by the Phoenix Mayo Clinic).

Incidentally, I am 80 years old and that $5500 is the best money I have ever spent. Finding the superb surgeon is not easy. There are too many out there and the ones I definitely don't want are the ones who fill the HMO networks. Unfortunately, the really outstanding physicians are beginning to withdraw from insurance forcing some hard decisions. My Neurologist is the top rated neurologist in the greater Phoenix area but he doesn't take insurance. The same applies to my Rheumatologist. My former internist went concierge and I found another top rated internist to replace him although I did like the first one and my pain doctor also just went concierge so I replaced him with another top rated pain doctor. Have to decide which ones I am able and willing to pay for.