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As the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) takes effect in 2014, the greatest change noticed by most will be the unexpected increase in out of pocket expenses.  Required by law (individuals now and employers next year), generally healthy individuals and families will often choose the health insurance plan with the lowest monthly cost.  As with any insurance, however, the lowest premiums come with the highest out of pocket expense.

This year, high deductible plans may reach over $6,000 for an individual and over $12,000 for a family before insurance pays. One outpatient surgery at a typical hospital will approach this amount when the allowed facility fee is added to other fees for the surgeon, anesthesiologist, and testing (pathology, radiology, labs and other tests).

Generally healthy individuals or families with a high deductible insurance plan in need of an outpatient elective ENT surgical procedure now have the opportunity to save thousands by choosing a cash option for surgery.  Our common procedures are priced well below the maximum yearly out of pocket maximum for many of these high deductible plans.

Who is a candidate for sinus surgery?

For most cases of acute sinusitis, an ear, nose, and throat specialist will prescribe a variety of medications, such as antibiotics, decongestants, and antihistamines. Typically, these treatments are effective in resolving the symptoms of acute sinusitis.

However, some patients may experience recurring sinus infections, or find that their symptoms are not responsive to any course of medication. In order to treat these cases of acute or chronic sinusitis, some ENT physicians may recommend sinus surgery.

What types of sinus surgeries are available?

Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

During functional endoscopic sinus surgery, the surgeon gently inserts an endoscope, a thin, fiber-optic tube, into the nose. With the help of the endoscope, an ear, nose, and throat specialist can carefully examine the sinus openings and identify diseased sinonasal tissue. Using highly precise instruments, the surgeon can then remove any abnormal tissues, opening the sinus passages and leaving no external scars.

Image Guided Sinus Surgery

For more complicated cases of chronic sinusitis, an ear, nose, and throat specialist may recommend image guided sinus surgery. Using a three-dimensional, image guided mapping system, the surgeon can navigate narrow, complex sinus openings more easily, resulting in a more accurate and effective sinus surgery.

Can patients with no insurance find fair pricing for sinus surgery?

Northwest ENT Surgery Center, a single-specialty, outpatient facility, offers guaranteed, out of pocket pricing for surgical candidates with no insurance. Although our surgery center is not the first to publish transparent, guaranteed prices for ear, nose, and throat procedures, it is the only ambulatory facility that offers an all-inclusive fee, which covers office services, surgeon and anesthesiologist’s fees, facility, equipment, and laboratory fees.

Located in metro Atlanta, Georgia, Northwest ENT Surgery Center offers a number of specialty ear, nose, and throat procedures, including functional endoscopic sinus surgery, image guided sinus surgery, septoplasty, and others. Call (678) 483-8833 to learn more about our guaranteed, out of pocket pricing for surgical candidates with no insurance or high deductibles.