title: Patient perceptions on physician reimbursement in plastic surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Public perception on physician reimbursement may be that considerable payments are received for procedures: a direct contrast to the actual decline. We aim to investigate patient perceptions toward plastic surgeon reimbursements from insurance companies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey of 4 common, single-staged procedures was administered to 140 patients. Patients were asked for their opinion on current insurance company reimbursement fees and what they believed the reimbursement fee should be.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-four patients completed the survey. Patients estimated physician's reimbursements at 472% to 1061% more for breast reduction, 347% to 770% for abdominal hernia reconstruction, 372% to 787% for panniculectomy, and 290% to 628% for mandibular fracture repair. Despite these perceived higher-than-actual-fee payments, 87% of patients thought reimbursements should still be higher.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients surveyed overestimated plastic surgery procedure fees by 290% to 1061%. Patients should be informed and educated regarding current fee schedules to plastic surgeons to correct current misconceptions.
authors.affiliation: From the *Division of Plastic, Reconstructive, Oral, Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham; and †Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Ryan M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Ezequiel H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Cassinelli
authors.forename: C Scott
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Hultman
authors.forename: Detlev
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Erdmann
mesh_terms: D061645:Abdominoplasty / Q000191:economics; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005249:Fees and Charges; D005260:Female; D046449:Hernia, Abdominal / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement / Q000191:economics*; D008297:Male; D016462:Mammaplasty / Q000191:economics; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000191:economics; D008875:Middle Aged; D010361:Patients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010465:Perception; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000191:economics*; D013518:Surgery, Plastic / Q000191:economics*