No matter where the doctor and the anesthesiologist are going to perform a rhinoplasty surgery, there will be a cost for the facility. This cost includes and nurses or other staff necessary for the procedure, equipment and supplies to be used and the facility's general overhead whether that is a rhinoplasty being performed in an office or one being done in a hospital. Obviously, if there is a reason that the work must be performed in a hospital, there is going to be a higher charge involved than merely the fee charged for a simpler office procedure. And finally, this fee will include any costs involved in the anticipated recovery after the surgery. If a small procedure has been performed and a local anesthetic was administered, a short time after completion, the patient may be up, walking around, feeling fine and ready to leave after a final examination by the surgeon. However, if the work was more complex, if an anesthetic was necessary to keep the patient asleep for several hours, if the pain quotient is expected to be higher due to the nature of the problem being addressed, it will be several hours after the surgery has been completed before the patient will be awake and several more hours before the patient is examined and allowed to leave.
All of these factors will affect the facility fee (as well as all other costs involved) and should be completely discussed beforehand. Applying the total monies spent on facility fees and dividing that by the number of surgeries performed, we arrive at an approximate average facility fee, nationally, of $700. If you are being charged substantially more or less than that you should ask why and the doctor's answers should adequately explain the difference.
In some instances, the doctor may be offering a "package price" which would include his fee, the anesthesiologist' fee and the facility fee as one number. If this makes you uncomfortable for any reason or if the total price for the work you are requesting does not feel proper, ask for a breakdown.
Remember, the numbers quoted here are from compiled figures published by American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) under the category rhinoplasty cost. There are two factors to take into account with these numbers:
1. The category "rhinoplasty cost" includes any surgery performed by a licensed surgeon operating on the nose. This can range from the removal of a simple bump, the repair of a simple skin tear or even hiding a small scar, up to a complete nasal reconstruction. As the complexity of the work increases, as the skill and artistry required of the surgeon increases, so does the cost.
2. Many rhinoplasty costs are hidden by doctors who have no problem billing their work to unsuspecting insurance companies as a repair of a "deviated septum" to "improve breathing difficulties" which would then be partially covered. This practice has become prevalent in the industry as the work can be performed and the client can save 60% or more of the total costs. Be aware if your doctor intends to bill your insurance company. If this is not something you wish to be involved in, make your desires known.
Rhinoplasty Info provides comprehensive information on preparing for and recovering from rhinoplasty, as well as costs, surgeons, and procedures, including revision rhinoplasty. Rhinoplasty Info is the sister site of Dental Implants Web.