Come Visit Us at the Carolina Women's Show this weekend

Our practice has a booth at the Carolina Women's Show this weekend. Come by and say hello! Betty, our patient coordinator, will be there and other staff members at various times, from opening Thursday 10am-7pm, Friday 10-7, and Saturday until 7pm. (August 27-29)

We'll be answering questions, giving out brochures and information. You can register for daily drawing prizes: Express Facial, Complimentary Consultation, or Skin Care products.

They'll have information on our upcoming office seminars and Skin Care presentations. We would love to see our patients and friends!

End of Summer Obagi Day: Skin Care, Injectables, Minimally Invasive Procedures

Now is the time. Summer is winding down, school has started, and you can focus your attention on your skin's appearance.

Are you concerned about the health of your skin? Fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation, sun damage, poor texture, large pores? Attend our Seminar and learn about the #1 physician dispensed skincare system - OBAGI, and other minimally invasive procedures.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1st, 2009
From 11am-12noon we will present a seminar, and welcome new or established patients.

In addition, from 9am-4pm our Skin Care Specialists and OBAGI products representative will provide complimentary Skin Consultations. Whether or not you attend the seminar, you can learn and experience private, individual sessions.

For this day, all OBAGI products will be 10% off. Also receive 15% off your first Obagi Blue Peel by scheduling your appointment.

Call now to RSVP and schedule you Skin Consultation. 864-676-1707 or E-mail your RSVP to info@expertplasticsurgeon.com

Differences between third-party-reimbursement and payment-for-service

A recent article said patients were surprised to be asked to pay more than an insurance co-pay when visiting their doctor for medical services. They were being asked to pay the full amount they were responsible for at the time of their visit. After that, the doctor's office waited on delayed partial payment from the insurance company.

This is an issue in third-party-reimbursement situations, but not in pay-for service medicine like cosmetic surgery. In this field, a patient decides on a procedure they wish to have done, schedule their procedure, pay the costs, and have the procedure. Routine post-operative care is included, so there are no charges for the subsequent visits.

While it's nice to wait and pay for something later, payment at the time of service (for elective or scheduled care) is most logical and least expensive. It makes little sense for the practice to wait months and mail out bills for care patients received long ago. Contrary to the article's report, many medical offices figured this out years ago and follow it routinely. This reduces costs.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203674704574330354250207192.html

Items in the media

Some recent online articles about cosmetic plastic surgery.


http://www.theweekender.com/cover/One_lift__tuck_or_suction_at_a_time__cos_07-28-2009.html

http://www.healthywomen.org/blogs/midlifematters/2009/07/lines-and-wrinkles-be-gone.html

Funny Names, Sad Commentary - "BoTax," "Tummy tuck tax," "Vanity tax," "Nose job tax"

Today various news outlets are reporting that the Congress or Obama administration are proposing sales or excise taxes on elective cosmetic procedures. This might include cosmetic surgery, non-surgical cosmetic injections, laser treatments, and others. It might also include Lasik vision correction, tooth whitening & hair transplants.

Lawmakers and interest groups pushing expanded government health care proposals are responding to revelations that their proposals will be much more expensive than they initially claimed. They are having to come up with taxes that appeal to a broad majority, even if they unfairly take from significant minorities of citizens.

If folks want these expensive programs, they are going to have to have major new taxes to pay for them. It is sad that proponents of reforms haven't been able to propose broad taxes that take from all that will benefit from the proposals. Why not simply raise general revenue tax rates on everyone. Narrowly focused taxes are politically more palatable, but create ever more complex tax laws and enforcement bureaucracies. They are fundamentally unfair.

www.nbcwashington.com/.../Bo-Tax-Dems-Contemplating-Cosmetic-Surgery-Tax.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/28/healthcare-obama-tax-cosmetic-surgery
www.taxfoundation.org/blog/show/536.html

Safe Surgery in the News

Recently the Wall Street Journal ran an article stressing the importance of safety and accreditation in office-based surgery (including cosmetic surgery). (July 21, 2009) We couldn't agree more.

The article highlights that many facilities lack oversight, regulation, etc. Potential patients should be aware that the American Society of Plastic Surgeons saw the importance of facility accreditation several years ago. The ASPS requires that all of its members only operate in accredited facilities. Members are also board-certified in plastic surgery.

Our office surgical facility was carefully designed from the outset with safety in mind. It has been nationally accredited from the beginning by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF). This includes annual review, on-site visits, staff training and certification, back-up equipment and safety systems. Our facility meets or exceeds state laws and regulations. All anesthesia is performed by our board-certified MD anesthesiologist. All OR nursing and physician personnel are Advanced Cardiac Life Support certified (ACLS). http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/about.html#nationally-accredited-facilities

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203946904574300971306299860.html

Finding A Good Plastic Surgeon: Article in LA Times

See a recent article in the Los Angeles Times http://www.latimes.com/features/lifestyle/la-ig-plasticsurgerybox19-2009jul19,0,1952565.story