My Doctor Wants Me To Pay $15,000 For Surgery; He Refuses To Submit Claim To Insurance Even Though It Was Pre-Authorized. My Care Is Being Held Hostage.

I recently had double jaw surgery in the past month. I received a bill in the amount of $15,000 for services rendered. Prior to having the surgery, I had my insurance (Kaiser) pre-authorize the procedure. Kaiser said it would pay for all of it.

However, my doctor wants me to pay him $15,000 up front and then have my health insurance reimburse me. I told him I don’t have the money to do that and to just bill my health insurance. He said he doesn’t take insurance and he has no staff to do insurance processing. He said if I do not pay him by a certain date, he will refuse to see me for any further after care appointments.

That being said, I just had jaw surgery that renders me unable to speak and I have a splint in my mouth that needs to come out. He’s basically holding my jaw hostage until I can pay.

I’m caught between a rock and hard place. My insurance approved my procedures and will pay my doctor but my doctor has to issue the claim or else they won’t pay. My doctor refuses to issue a claim and wants me to do reimbursement but I don’t have $15,000 laying around.

I’m trapped between two parties who refuse to talk to each other.

Please help!