The True Cost of Plastic Surgery
Complications and Deaths Linked to Outpatient Plastic Surgery Centers in South Florida
For almost a decade, the NBC6 Investigators have been documenting complications and deaths related to popular plastic surgery procedures at different clinics and outpatient surgery centers in South Florida. Many of these patients end up in public hospitals for these complications, which means it’s often taxpayers who pay their medical bills.
Devastating Consequences for Patients and Taxpayers
Linda Perez knows all too well how costly plastic surgery procedure complications can be. She was in a coma following a breast augmentation procedure and now has permanent brain damage that requires a lifetime of expensive therapy.
Heather Meadow’s children suffered a devastating loss after she died following a Brazilian Butt lift procedure, or BBL. The West Virginia woman traveled to Miami for the surgery.
Loyda Hernandez from Kissimmee says complications from a BBL she had in Miami left her fighting for her life and racking up a huge hospital bill.
The Financial Burden
"I have about half a million dollars in medical bills," she said.
Her lawyer, Peter Sotolongo, said outpatient plastic surgery centers make a lot of money off their patients but waive responsibility when something goes wrong after they are discharged.
A Crisis in Plastic Surgery in Miami-Dade County
"There’s a crisis in plastic surgery in Miami-Dade County. People are coming here from all over the country and all over the world for plastic surgery," Sotolongo said.
The Impact on Hospitals and Taxpayers
Dr. Christopher Salgado, a board-certified plastic surgeon, spent years working at local hospitals and caring for patients with complications from plastic surgeries performed at outpatient surgical centers.
"At times I’ve had four or five patients that have had complications from plastic surgery procedures in these facilities end up in these hospitals. What happens at that point is that a lot of these patients may not be insured. About 90% of them don’t even live in Florida," Dr. Salgado said.
The Consequences for Miami-Dade Residents
According to Dr. Salgado, the complications he saw were often not covered by medical insurance companies because they are elective procedures.
"The complications end up in many of our hospitals, not only UM Jackson, where I worked for ten years, but also in a lot of hospitals that are community hospitals," he said.
A Call for Action
Christina Masvidal is a critical care nurse who’s now Jackson Health System’s Senior Director of Risk Management and Patient Safety.
"When they show up to Jackson, when they present to us because of a complication that is coming out of the pockets of Miami-Dade residents," she explained.
The Statistics
According to Jackson Health System’s records, between September 2021 and January of this year, Jackson received 273 patients with complications from plastic surgeries performed in local plastic surgery centers. Of those, only 5% were Miami-Dade residents, 25% were from other parts of the state and 70% didn’t even live in Florida. The total cost of treatment for all the patients was $7,690,897. After adjustments and reimbursements, the hospital or taxpayers lost $629,807 that couldn’t be collected.
Conclusion
The true cost of plastic surgery procedure complications goes beyond the individual patient, extending to the broader community. The financial burden of these complications falls not only on the patients but also on the taxpayers, who foot the bill for the treatment of these patients in public hospitals. It is crucial that plastic surgery centers take responsibility for their actions and provide adequate post-operative care to prevent these complications from occurring in the first place.
FAQs
Q: What is the true cost of plastic surgery procedure complications?
A: The true cost of plastic surgery procedure complications extends beyond the individual patient, including the financial burden on taxpayers, who foot the bill for treatment in public hospitals.
Q: How many patients with complications from plastic surgery procedures end up in public hospitals?
A: According to Jackson Health System’s records, 273 patients with complications from plastic surgeries performed in local plastic surgery centers received treatment at Jackson Health System between September 2021 and January of this year.
Q: What is the financial burden on taxpayers?
A: The total cost of treatment for all 273 patients was $7,690,897. After adjustments and reimbursements, the hospital or taxpayers lost $629,807 that couldn’t be collected.
Q: What is being done to address this issue?
A: Jackson Health System’s Senior Director of Risk Management and Patient Safety has reported all 273 cases to the Health Department, and plastic surgery centers are being urged to take responsibility for their actions and provide adequate post-operative care to prevent complications.
