One of the conditions that is more prone to occur when your dog is overweight is the tear, or rupture, of your dog's cranial cruciate ligament, which is in your dog's knee.
I am not sure if weight was a factor in Bugsy's case, but I thought it a great example of how something that is very curable but very expensive could perhaps be prevented.
Details:
Bugsy is a 4 year old male neutered Rottweiler who lives in Darien IL. The surgery was done orthoscopically, meaning through a very small opening in the knee, very similar to what is performed on humans for the same condition. This procedure allows a shorter healing time and fewer infections and complications - always a good thing.
| DATE | ITEM | BILLED AMOUNT | COVERED IN POLICY? | COVERED CHARGES |
| 7/9/2010 | Analgesic Inj | $ 52.00 | Y | $ 52.00 |
| 7/9/2010 | Epidural | $ 103.50 | Y | $ 103.50 |
| 7/9/2010 | Surg Tech | $ 64.00 | Y | $ 64.00 |
| 7/9/2010 | Inj-Anitbiotic | $ 49.50 | Y | $ 49.50 |
| 7/9/2010 | Referral Consult | $ 91.50 | Y | $ 91.50 |
| 7/9/2010 | Propofol Induct | $ 36.25 | Y | $ 36.25 |
| 7/9/2010 | Gas Anes | $ 324.00 | Y | $ 324.00 |
| 7/9/2010 | IV Cath & Fluids | $ 88.00 | Y | $ 88.00 |
| 7/9/2010 | X-ray | $ 131.25 | Y | $ 131.25 |
| 7/9/2010 | Arthoscopy | $ 742.50 | Y | $ 742.50 |
| 7/9/2010 | Tightrope Implant | $ 275.00 | Y | $ 275.00 |
| 7/9/2010 | Cranial Cruciate Repair | $ 606.50 | Y | $ 606.50 |
| 7/9/2010 | Cephalexin 84 | $ 51.71 | N | $ 0.00 |
| 7/9/2010 | Tramadol 30 | $ 22.25 | N | $ 0.00 |
| 7/9/2010 | Rimadyl 30 | $ 65.15 | N | $ 0.00 |
| Total | $ 2,703.11 | $ 2,564.00 |
Bugsy's policy has a $200 annual deductible, a 10% copayment, and a $10,000 annual maximum. The drugs and dental extension was not chosen for Bugsy's policy, which is why the take-home drug coverage was not included. Bugsy's monthly premium is $42.72.
The payout for this claim is $2,307.60, which is calculated below (taken from the Explanation of Benefits). The $200 annual deductible has already been taken care of in a prior claim.
| STEP 1: Calculate Potential Refund | ||||||||
| Billed Amount: | $ 2,703.11 | |||||||
| Covered Charges: | (see attached detail) | $ 2,564.00 | ||||||
| Annual deductible remaining | $ 0.00 | |||||||
| subtotal | $ 2,564.00 | |||||||
| Copay 10% | (your copayment) | $ 256.40 | ||||||
| Potential Refund | $ 2,307.60 | |||||||
| STEP 2: Compare potential refund against your annual maximums | ||||||||
| Annual Maximum | $ 10,000.00 | |||||||
| Prior refunds for this policy year | $ 106.16 | |||||||
| Coverage remaining | $ 9,893.84 | |||||||
| Your total refund is: | $ 2,307.60 | |||||||
Related Posts:
August is Obesity Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Claim example: orthoscopic surgery to fix cranial cruciate ligament rupture in Rottweiler
Guest post: number one pet health problem is obesity
Measuring my cats' body mass index - the FBMI
Claim Example: Inguinal Hernia Repair in a Dachshund



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