Dr. Bae:
Hey Greg, how you doing?

Greg:
I am amazing Dr. Bae. Hey, I wanted to talk to you about this, you are very transparent with your pricing. You have a pricing tool right here on the website that people can find out how much something cost. Not everybody can pay for everything right upfront I mean, you’re not going to sit here and tell people, “Yeah I can do this for next to nothing.” And I don’t want my surgeon saying that by the way.

Dr. Bae:
Right. Cheap plastic surgery isn’t good and good plastic surgery isn’t cheap.

Greg:
No. So tell me some options that people have, maybe I can’t roll out five, six, seven, $10,000 just right off the bat but I want to get a procedure done that cost that.

Dr. Bae:
Yeah. So it’s a tough question because we don’t want people overextending themselves but there are definitely ways of financing these operations through different services. We don’t actually do any in… people ask all the time, do we do in-house financing? We don’t do in-house financing meaning that we won’t do your operation for nothing upfront and then you pay us back over time. We don’t do that but we do use some finance… You’d be surprised how many people ask that-

Greg:
Well, and by the way, I don’t do that for the radio station either. I don’t say, “I’ll work for a couple of months and you pay me later.” So I get that. I don’t do that either Dr. Bae.

Dr. Bae:
So that’s what I’m hoping is once the utility company says, “Oh, we’ll just give you the electricity [crosstalk 00:01:35] and you can pay us next year.” That’s when I’ll start doing. But for now what we do is that we use some third-party financing companies. We use CareCredit which a lot of people use, not just for cosmetic procedures but if you have a high deductible health plan and you got to pay out of pocket for medically necessary services, people use CareCredit for that, they use it for dental work. So we use CareCredit, We use another company called Alphaeon Credit, there’s Prosper Healthcare Lending. There’s several of them out there and they do things different ways as far as how they pay but the idea is that we get paid upfront for the service from that company and then the patient pays them back.

Dr. Bae:
So like CareCredit for example, they will pay the pers… pay the CareCredit back. The consumer will pay CareCredit back monthly for a certain period of time. And the thing people need to keep in mind there are options. There are some options like you can do six months no interest where CareCredit pays us everything and then if you pay CareCredit back within that six month period, you have to pay them the full amount but no interest that’s pretty awesome. But just to be sure-

Greg:
That is awesome, that’s like cash, yeah.

Dr. Bae:
It’s like cash but just be sure that you’re going to be able to pay it back within that six months because if not, then they are going to start to add interest and the interest is like 26%. It’s very high. Now-

Greg:
Oh, I see you do financial advice to Dr. Bay. So you are a financial advisor and… Yeah I mean, [crosstalk 00:02:55] don’t understand the interest rates and stuff like that so you have to do your research.

Dr. Bae:
Right. And that you got to keep in mind, how do these companies make money? They don’t make money by paying… people paying them back interest free in six months, they make money by people not being able to pay them back in six months interest free and then they have to pay a 7th and 8th month and the 9th month with that 20% interest rate. So of course, whatever advice I’m providing make sure you clear with an accountant first or your tax advisor. But the other thing to keep in mind is like, okay, well still you’re thinking, “Okay. You know what? I can’t afford it six months. I can’t pay it all off in six months so I don’t want us to be stuck paying some usury interest rate for that after those six months.” So the other option you might think is like, “I’ll pay it off over five years or I’ll pay it off over six years.”

Dr. Bae:
And they do have plans like that but keep in mind, those interest rates are pretty high too. Maybe they’re not as high as 26%, but they are may be like 14% or something like that. So they do get kind of high if you’re not going to pay them off within a year or two. So just keep that in mind, be safe, read the fine print. The fine print is there. They’re not trying to hide it from you. They have actually, I think by law had to made the fine print bigger. It can’t be as fine has to be bigger and easier to read. The other thing the state of California has done is that we can’t sign you up for CareCredit. That’d would be the way it could be done in the past and we could be done honestly where we would sign the patient up for CareCredit.

Dr. Bae:
They would give us their information and we would physically sign them up online. Now we no longer can do that. They have to physically log in and sign up for themselves because obviously some doctors may be or some institutions were signing people up without their knowledge so that’s why you can’t do that anymore. We never did that of course but anyway, read the print, know what you’re getting yourself into. And a lot of people you’d be surprised I mean, even if your credit score is not awesome, people are still getting approved by these different companies and they’re getting their procedure and hopefully paying back the company to keep the company whole so they don’t turn them over to collections.

Greg:
All right. And what about crypto coin? Do you take crypto coin? That’s a big thing-

Dr. Bae:
We do actually. You got to-

Greg:
What?

Dr. Bae:
Yeah you got to stay up with all the time. So yeah, we take Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dozer Coin. We [crosstalk 00:05:08]. I don’t know that we can take XRP right now. I think that’s tied up in litigation the SEC or whatever but yeah, we do take crypto coin if people are interested in paying that way. The trick is to get paid by that crypto coin and then cash it out immediately because the price fluctuates [crosstalk 00:05:28]. Yeah somebody can pay you when it’s $10,000 and then when you’re cashing in it’s $8,000, you just lost $2,000 on the operation but-

Greg:
There you go. [crosstalk 00:05:36] got to work out your finances on your end too.

Dr. Bae:
Exactly. That is true.

Greg:
All right. Well thanks Dr. Bay. And if you want pricing, it’s right here on the website, everything is transparent. You can book appointments, you can call to ask questions. You can email to ask questions or probably the easiest way is to reach out on social media.

Dr. Bae:
Yeah, you can reach us on TiTok, Snapchat, Instagram @realdrbae R-E-A-L-D-R-B-A-E. You’re a great spokesperson Greg, I might pay you to do this.

Greg:
Oh, you should in crypto. I’ll take Bitcoin.

Dr. Bae:
Fair enough.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Financing your medical or cosmetic procedure first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

BuildMyBod Health is President Trump’s answer to the issue of price transparency in healthcare! With an Executive Order and a proposal to bring price transparency to the healthcare arena, this issue is front and center.

The BuildMyBod Health platform allows consumers and employees of self-funded plans to determine their healthcare costs ahead of time since more consumers are paying out of pocket. That’s because they haven’t met their deductible for a medically necessary procedure or because the service is considered cosmetic. The prices available through the BuildMyBod database reflect either the cash rate or the negotiated rate between the healthcare provider and the insurance payor.

The most critical distinction that BuildMyBod Health brings to the world of healthcare price transparency (#PriceTransCAREncy) is completeness and lead generation. Prices include all surgeon, facility and ancillary fees associated with a procedure. Many trade organizations that provide pricing information don’t include facility, anesthesia or implant fees. These fees alone can often account for over 50% of the cost of a procedure.

And in the process of checking pricing, the consumer must enter their contact information to receive their instant itemized quote to their inbox. This provides the doctor or provider with the consumer’s information – a lead for follow up!

BuildMyBod Health also offers a Pricing Assistant for doctors and facilities to better understand how their prices fit within the competitive landscape of other healthcare providers. No claims data or nebulous ranges used in calculating consumer price quotes; only actionable data.

The 2020 BuildMyBod Health Pricing Report for Outpatient Services

Because the BuildMyBod database has so much pricing data, we break things into cosmetic and medical necessary services in a simple-to-peruse infographic (below). The consumer for their part is able to determine their out of pocket costs through the doctor’s Price Estimator.

This is nicely demonstrated by the Price Estimator found on Dr. Jason Hall’s website, of Knoxville, TN. The consumer is able to choose their procedure of interest on the Price Estimator. After creating an account, the consumer will instantly receive a breakdown of their out-of-pocket costs based on Dr. Hall’s fee schedule.

The Pricing Report reviews the most common surgical and non-surgical services currently in demand. Please copy and share this infographic across your various media and social media channels and provide attribution to BuildMyBod Health. The source pricing data for all outpatient services can be found here. You can also check pricing in real-time from a doctor near you by clicking here.

About BuildMyBod Health:

BuildMyBod Health continues to leave its mark in the healthcare space by making price transparency in healthcare (Price TransCAREncy) easily accessible through advances in information technology. Consumers across the country can check pricing and purchase procedures and services straight from BuildMyBod.com, the doctor’s website, or the BuildMyBod iPhone/iPad app. The price quotes provided are doctor-specific, and include the cost of facelifts and mommy makeovers, to CT scans, spine surgery, hernia repairs and other diagnostic exams. The BuildMyBod Pricing Assistant allows providers to get real-time feedback regarding their fee schedules. Visit the website to learn more.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post 2020 BuildMyBod Health Annual Pricing Report [infographic] first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

It’s official! Price transparency in healthcare is closer to reality. President Trump released new rules requiring hospitals to publish their charges and negotiated rates. You may be thinking, “oh this doesn’t affect me! It only affects hospitals and their employed physicians.” But make no mistake, this affects all physicians. Including those providing outpatient services! You may also be thinking, “that’s too complicated because of different insurers and negotiated rates!” The ability to publish your prices through your website with a Price Estimator can be provided in any format you like.

First, why does this affect me?

You see, as hospitals begin to show their prices, the consumers’ mindset will change. Once they realize hospitals are displaying pricing, consumers will expect pricing information for ALL healthcare services. That means from ALL doctors, whether you’re an employee or not. So while the law may not affect you directly, it definitely affects you indirectly.

Jump on the bandwagon, but do it right! Don’t just list your prices as a menu. As discussed here, that’s the worst thing you could do! See how below.

Publish your prices with accuracy

Bundled rate: If you work with a company that pays their employees’ insurance bills directly, then they may pay a bundled price for all of the services that go into a knee replacement for example. If your facility has negotiated a bundled single rate, you can list that cost in a Price Estimator on your website. The benefit of using a Price Estimator like this bariatric surgeon is that when the consumer checks the bundled price, they have to enter their contact info first. Once they submit their “wishlist,” they receive an automated email with the bundled rate and the practice receives the same email with the consumer’s contact info – a lead for follow up!

Negotiated Rates: If your facility has negotiated rates with various insurance companies (the most common) then that means each service has a previously determined rate that you’re allowed to charged based on the insurance company. With a Price Estimator like this surgery center, the consumer can choose the insurance plan they’re a member of, then choose the procedure, enter their contact info and voila!, they receive an estimate specific to that insurance payor and the surgery center receives a lead!

Cash rate: And finally, for most dermatologists, dentists or plastic surgeons, the practice can also list their cash rate for services not typically covered by insurance. The consumer checks their cash rate through the Price Estimator and is less likely to experience sticker shock upon arrival for their consult.

So you see, a flexible Price Estimator can make price transparency accessible and beneficial for everyone – consumers and providers!

To check pricing from Dr. Kaplan, click here. If you’re a provider interested in offering price transparency and separating yourself from your competition, click here.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post 3 ways to publish your prices with BuildMyBod Health [video] first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

As you can see above, Dr. Kaplan will be presenting with a team of experts in their respective fields. The Cosmetic Forum supported by MTF Biologics will review the latest in regenerative medicine. However, this is not Dr. Kaplan’s expertise! He will speak to the physician attendees on using social media in their practice to engage with patients. But more importantly, he will talk about using the BuildMyBod Health Price Estimator to capture social media followers’ contact information in the process!

Practice Profitability MD (PPMD), a practice management consulting company is having a live event this weekend in Tampa. PPMD was founded by Dr. Rich Castellano, a facial plastic surgeon in the Tampa Bay area. Dr. Castellano helps cosmetic practitioners make their staff more productive, grow their businesses and avoid burnout so they can have more fun at work, enjoy more free time and make their practices more profitable.

The PPMD Live Agenda

Aside from many sessions throughout the weekend addressing ways to improve a cosmetic physician’s practice, Dr. Kaplan will be reviewing the 5 way to educate patients prior to the consultation so they’re ready to book and pay in full at the time of their appointment.

Dr. Kaplan will discuss:

1. 1. Building rapport through social media
2. 2. Education through video and before and after photos
3. 3. Eduction through online reading material
4. 4. Discussion of cost and financing prior to the consultation
5. 5. Continued “touch points” through email marketing

If you’re in the Tampa Bay area, you should attend the meeting by signing up here.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post BuildMyBod Founder speaking at MTF Cosmetic Forum and PPMD Live! first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

This weekend, Dr. Jonathan Kaplan, Founder/CEO of BuildMyBod Health will be busy at THE Aesthetic Academy 2019 in San Diego. Keep reading to the get 411!

THE Aesthetic Academy 2019

On Saturday, October 12th,2019 Dr. Kaplan will present”Why It’s Critical to Diversify Your Marketing Channels.” He’ll discuss the recent changes in Google’s algorithm and why it’s important to NOT put all your marketing eggs in one basket.

Later that morning, Dr. Kaplan will be giving a facial filler live demo training for other healthcare providers. He’ll review when it’s appropriate to use neuromodulators (Botox, Xeomin) vs fillers (Juvederm, Radiesse, Belotero). One lucky patient will receive these treatments for free as a thank you for being our model!

On Sunday, October 13th, Dr. Kaplan will give the same marketing talk to a different cohort of attendees. This is one of the unique aspects of The Aesthetic Academy is that presentations are given two days in a row to give everyone an opportunity to learn.

Later that morning he’ll speak on the neck lift technique he developed. The Single Incisions Minimally Invasive (SIMI®) Neck Lift.

Last but not least, he’ll provide a second training on injectables Sunday afternoon.  And then it’s on to Dallas for a presentation on social media for Mentor, a maker of breast implants!

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post BuildMyBod founder speaking at THE Aesthetic Academy 2019 first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Dr. Kaplan, owner of Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery (aka Real Dr. Bae on Instagram) is also founder of BuildMyBod Health. A price transparency platform. Dr. Kaplan continues his US speaking tour in San Diego this weekend at the AAFPRS 2019 International Symposium of Facial Plastic Surgery. This meeting is put on by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – the AAFPRS. He’ll be giving two talks and serving on two panels.

Talks at the AAFPRS 2019

Dr. Kaplan will speak on improving the patient experience with price transparency. This is an oldie but a goodie! He’ll discuss how doctors fear the complexity of price transparency but don’t realize what a huge patient satisfier it is.

With price transparency prior to the consultation, the patient is prepared. And therefore less likely to experience sticker shock. That’s an improvement to the patient experience!

The power of email marketing

In his second talk, Dr. Kaplan will explain why building your email database for marketing is so critical. He’ll talk about how his Google traffic dropped 62% but his revenue actually increased. That was because he had a strong social media presence and also because he built an email database of over 9,600+ people. That way, whenever he was ready, he could market directly to his target demographic for way less than digital advertising.

If you’re a doctors and want to learn more about BuildMyBod Health, click here. If you’re a patient that wants pricing information from a doctor near you, click here.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post BuildMyBod Founder Speaking at AAFPRS 2019 first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

The BuildMyBod Health Concierge Experience

This experience encompasses all of the e-commerce capabilities of the BuildMyBod platform. After consumers check pricing, they can purchase non-surgical services through the BuyNow or Promos feature. Taking it to a new level is the Subscription system. This allows the consumer to purchase a Membership or a Package.

A Membership is a monthly fee the consumer pays that gives them access to discounts on multiple products and services. Our founder/CEO, Dr. Jonathan Kaplan created the Bae Club to be the vehicle for his practice’s Subscription system.

For those of you not aware, Dr. Kaplan goes by Dr. Bae on social media! As silly as it sounds, this online persona has taken on a life of its own. He’s still the same person regardless, but being Dr. Bae in the Bay Area just made sense on Snapchat and Instagram​. Spelling it B-a-e rather than B-a-y is simply a play on words. But enough about that!

Here’s an example of the Membership and Package subscriptions that Dr. Kaplan created through the Bae Club. These can be a model for other providers considering a Subscription system for their practice.

The Bae Club Injectables and SkinCare Membership:

• Up to 20% off Botox/Xeomin, fillers, Latisse and Obagi skin care products.
• Get treated, or purchase, as much and as often as you like and always get up to 20% off.
• All you do is pay a low monthly membership fee (automatically charged to a card on file).
• Purchase must be made online by clicking the button below. Can not purchase in office.

Purchase your Membership HERE!

The Bae Club Wrinkle Reducer Package: 

• Come in the office every three months, get 20 units of Botox/Xeomin and walk right out of the office!
• Instead of paying a lump fee for treatments at each appointment, you pay a little each month with an automated charge to your card on file.
• You’re getting the treatments anyway but instead of paying the full amount every three months, you pay a monthly fee that covers your cost for the year – but at a 15% discount!
• Purchase must be made online by clicking the button below. Can not purchase in office.

Purchase this Package HERE!

The video below explains the benefits to both the provider and the consumer. If you’re a provider, click here to request an account and join the BuildMyBod network. If you’re a consumer, click here to check pricing and potentially purchase services from Dr. Kaplan.

Video overview of the BuildMyBod Health Concierge Experience

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Announcing the new BuildMyBod Health Concierge Experience! first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Dr. Derek Ford – Direct Links in Eblasts

As you can see in this video, Dr. Derek Ford, a plastic surgeon in Toronto, enjoys educating his patients through his monthly email newsletters. But he also wants to get them back to this website to answer their most burning question – how much does a procedure cost. Notice how, at the bottom of the eblast, he provides a link to check pricing on 1) breast augmentation with implants, 2) breast lift without implants and 3) breast augmentation with implants and a lift.

Rather than sending the consumer back to his website and forcing them to navigate to his BuildMyBod Price Estimator, and then scrolling through to find the procedure of interest, the direct links he provides take the consumer directly to one of those three procedures. And once there, the consumer can add that procedure to their “wishlist” and submit the wishlist along with their contact info. Then, instantly, they receive a breakdown of the costs, and Dr. Ford’s office receives the consumer’s contact info – a lead for follow up.

In the two days after Dr. Ford sent out this email newsletter, he received 5 unique leads through his Price Estimator. Four of them were from the email newsletter checking pricing on those highlighted breast procedures.

Dr. Steven Rottman – Obvious call-to-action (CTA) button

A Call-to-Action (CTA) button is the single most important button on the home page of any website. It captures the consumer’s interest and once they click on it, the hope is that the information on the other end of that “click” is tantalizing enough for the consumer to enter their contact info.

Nothing is more tantalizing that pricing information. While pricing isn’t the only pain point (credentials and experience are critical), it is the ultimate pain point and every consumer understands that. So with a Get A Quote CTA button, a doctor is more likely to capture contact info than with any other CTA button. “Download our ebook after entering your contact info.” “Sign up for our email newsletter.” Really? Not tantalizing enough.

Dr. Rottman and his web developers have determined the greatest placement of a CTA button. As you can see in the mobile version of his website, that red CTA button is a “sticky banner” across the bottom of the screen. And no matter where the consumer scrolls, that banner never goes away! So because Dr. Rottman’s CTA button is so visible, he has more consumers submitting wishlists than if it was in a more hidden position. And if more consumers submit wishlists, Dr. Rottman receives more leads…to the tune of 161 unique leads from the Price Estimator, all in the short month of February.

Dr. Rich Castellano – Links from Facebook Live

Dr. Castellano’s video says it all. While he’s treating a patient on Facebook Live, he receives three separate messages asking about the cost of that injectible. Rather than just telling the consumer the cost and never capturing their contact info, he directs them to the Price Estimator on his website. So if they’re really interested in cost, which everyone is, they’ll go to his website from Facebook Live and check pricing. And he’ll get their contact info for follow up.

Suzi Walton, Administrator of the Ohio Surgery Center – Insurance-based pricing

For those that think price transparency only applies to cosmetic procedures, get that thought out of your head! The administrator of the Ohio Surgery Center, Suzi Walton, realizes that even consumers getting medically necessary procedures are paying out of pocket because they haven’t met their deductible.

That’s why she allows consumers to first choose their insurance plan on the Price Estimator and then submit a wishlist for a procedure of interest. What the consumer gets in return is the allowable, or out of pocket maximum, the consumer will pay to the doctor, facility and anesthesiologist for that procedure, specific to that insurance plan. How’s that for actionable pricing information!

Dr. Carlos Mata – Link in Bio on Instagram and Clickable Direct Links via Instagram Direct Messaging

As Dr. Mata knows, consumers fawning over his results on his Instagram page want to know how much these procedures cost. To make it easy for them, he places a clickable link in his Instagram bio to get them one step closer to the answer. But his office staff doesn’t stop there.

As the graphic above shows, he also answers questions through Instagram Direct Messaging with direct links. Rather than the old school way of dealing with questions about cost – 1) “You have to come in for a consult first” or 2) giving “the milk away for free” (providing the cost without getting contact info first) – Dr. Mata’s team sends those questioners directly to the procedure of interest so they get the info they want in exchange for their contact info.

These are just a handful of our doctors’ best practices within the BuildMyBod network. As we grow and bring more great minds into the fold, there are sure to be even more best practices. Stay tuned!

To check pricing from Dr. Kaplan, click here. If you’re a doctor looking to sign up for the BuildMyBod platform, you can request an account here.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post BuildMyBod doctors’ best practices – in their own words [video] first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Dr. Bilge Gregory is a physician in Scottsdale, Arizona at Vital Connection MD. You can also follow her on Instagram here. She was nice enough to tell us about her experience with the BuildMyBod Health platform.

Dr. Bilge Gregory – BuildMyBod Testimonial

As you can see in the video below, Dr. Gregory’s excitement in regards to the BuildMyBod platform is infectious. She heard about BuildMyBod at the Nazarian Institute in West Hollywood at the end of January. After signing up, she received leads immediately and already had a patient book and undergo their surgery!

If you’re a doctor and you have an interest in #PriceTransCAREncy and lead generation, this video is for you. And if you’re a patient and want to know the cost of healthcare services prior to a consultation, you’re in the right place!

To check pricing from Dr. Kaplan, click here. If you’re a doctor looking to sign up for the BuildMyBod platform, you can request an account here.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Dr. Bilge Gregory – BuildMyBod Video Testimonial first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Dr. Jonathan Kaplan, founder/CEO of BuildMyBod Health will be speaking at the Nazarian Institute this weekend. The meeting is open to everyone trying to take their branding and customer service experience to the next level. You can sign up here.

Price transCAREncy and upping your customer service game at the Nazarian Institute

Dr. Kaplan will speak on how to combine price transparency and lead generation to improve the customer service experience in healthcare. Something he refers to as Price TransCAREncy! It’s a simple concept. In most cases great customer service can lead to price irrelevancy as customer service guru John DiJulius says. But that works only when you have a baseline for comparison. In other words, if you have an idea of how much a good or service costs, price becomes irrelevant if you want it bad enough.

Compare that to healthcare. There is no baseline for comparison because no one knows how much a particular service or procedure is going to cost. Since you have no baseline for comparison, price isn’t irrelevant. Are you going to get your MRI at a hospital with no regard to cost because they have such great customer service? Of course not. You can’t rely on your insurance anymore because you have a high deductible health plan and will be on the hook for a portion of your procedure.

So in the case of healthcare, when you have no baseline for comparison of costs, price transparency can lead to great customer service, not great customer service leading to price irrelevancy. Additionally, price transparency will separate your practice or facility from the competition since no one else provides it!

Dr. Kaplan will further his argument and include ways to use price transparency on a daily basis to improve customer service.

If you’re a healthcare provider and interested in providing greater customer service through price transparency, take a look at the BuildMyBod health platform here now.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post BuildMyBod Health founder speaking at Nazarian Institute first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

BuildMyBod Health is the number one online marketplace for healthcare services. It provides consumers and employees of self-funded plans with its robust database of price information on medically necessary procedures typically paid out of pocket before a deductible is met or because the service is considered cosmetic. These prices reflect either the cash rate or the negotiated rate between the healthcare provider and the insurance payor.

The most critical distinction that BuildMyBod Health brings to the world of healthcare price transparency (Price TransCAREncy) is completeness. Prices include all surgeon, facility and ancillary fees associated with a procedure. Many trade organizations that provide pricing information don’t include facility, anesthesia or implant fees. These fees alone can often account for over 50% of the cost of a procedure.

BuildMyBod Health also offers a Pricing Assistant for doctors and facilities to better understand how their prices fit within the competitive landscape of other healthcare providers. No claims data or nebulous ranges used in calculating consumer price quotes; only actionable data.

The 2019 BuildMyBod Health Pricing Report for Outpatient Services

Because the BuildMyBod database has so much pricing data, this year, we have separated our infographic into one for outpatient services in general (medically necessary or cosmetic) and a second specifically for cosmetic services. Whether insurance covers a procedure or not, most consumers now pay a portion of their healthcare out of pocket since they must first meet their deductible.

This reality is nicely demonstrated by Suzi Walton, Administrator of the Ohio Surgery Center. When a consumer visits OhioSurgeryCenter.com, they’ll see the BuildMyBod Health Price Estimator seamlessly embedded into the website. The consumer is able to choose their insurance plan on the Price Estimator, then the procedure of interest. After creating an account, the consumer will instantly receive a breakdown of their out-of-pocket costs based on the allowables that the Ohio Surgery Center has negotiated with their participating payors (insurance companies).

The 2019 BuildMyBod Health Pricing Report for Cosmetic Services

The Pricing Report for cosmetic services reviews the most common surgical and non-surgical services currently in demand.  This year, the report highlights non-surgical body contouring procedures such as CoolSculpting and BTL Exilis and EmSculpt.

Other procedures of interest mentioned in the 2019 Health Pricing Report include:

Brazilian Butt Lift (using fat injections) US average: $9,327

Chin Enlargement (with implant) US average: $4,043

Tummy Tuck US average: $8,489

Please copy and share these infographics across your various media and social media channels and provide attribution to BuildMyBod Health. The source pricing data for all outpatient services can be found here and for cosmetic services, here.

About BuildMyBod Health:

BuildMyBod Health continues to leave its mark in the healthcare space by making price transparency in healthcare (Price TransCAREncy) easily accessible through advances in information technology. Consumers across the country can check pricing and purchase procedures and services straight from BuildMyBod.com, the doctor’s website, or the BuildMyBod iPhone/iPad app. The price quotes provided are doctor-specific, and include the cost of facelifts and mommy makeovers, to CT scans, spine surgery, hernia repairs and other diagnostic exams. The BuildMyBod Pricing Assistant allows providers to get real-time feedback regarding their fee schedules. Visit the website to learn more.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post 2019 BuildMyBod Health Annual Pricing Report [infographic] first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

What’s in store at the MAX Expo?

Dr. Kaplan’s TED-style talk at the MAX Expo will be about customer service in healthcare. The premise is based on words of wisdom from John DiJulius, the customer service guru at the DiJulius Group of Ohio.

Mr. DiJulius states that your business should strive to provide such excellent customer service that the price will be irrelevant. In other words, the cost is not a primary concern because the product or customer service are so worth it.

As Dr. Kaplan argues here, this is true when it comes to a cup of coffee because the consumer has a general baseline understanding of the cost of coffee. Maybe it’s $1.50 in a diner, $5 at Starbucks and maybe the greatest coffee ever is $10. So while price may be irrelevant, the consumer still has a basic idea of their potential out-of-pocket expense.

Not so with healthcare. The consumer has no baseline understanding of cost. Sure there are online sites that provide averages but when it comes down to it, that’s not helpful or actionable. Dr. Kaplan will show how a Price Estimator (like the one from BuildMyBod Health), allows the healthcare provider to provide accurate pricing to the consumer based on their insurance plan through what’s called an allowable. This is the out-of-pocket amount the facility is allowed to charge the patient.

During Dr. Kaplan’s talk, he’ll explain that in fields other than healthcare, great customer service can make pricing irrelevant. When it comes to healthcare, it’s actually price transparency that leads to a patient experiencing great customer service. Through price transparency, the consumer isn’t confronted with surprise bills or learning how much they owe after a procedure. Now how’s that for customer service!

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Dr. Kaplan & BuildMyBod Health speaking at MAX! first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.