Bay Area Doctors? Reccomendations?
Looking for a good doctor in the Bay Area...San Francisco. Preferably one that knows plenty regarding ipl and V-beam. If you guys can suggest a doc that would be great!
I have been to a few, but still don't trust, or think highly of them so far ;)
Thanks for the help!
-T
Hi -
Dr. Vic Narukar and Dr. Kathleen Welsh are really good. I've not been to Dr. Narukar but hear he's really good. I've been to Dr. Welsh for Vbeam and consults, she is good. However, note her RN's also do lasers too - but only have the consult and lasers by Dr. Welsh! The Vbeam I had with the RN wasn't very good - had a little hyperpigmentation afterward for some reason.
Good luck.
Yvette
I second Yvette - Dr. Welsh is great. I have been to many derms, all over the country, and Dr. Welsh is one of the very best. She is an expert with the v-beam Perfecta and her prices are reasonable too. She is also extremely intelligent, caring, and works quickly, which I personally prefer.
If you want to try IPL, I recommend Dr. Patrick Bitter, Sr. I have had many IPLs with him in the past and he was also very good. Unfortunately, I became resistant to IPL, so I had to stop. I have been getting Perfecta txs with Dr. Welsh for about 2 years now and I have found the txs do help with my severe, painful facial flushing.
Meg
Do they accept any type of insurance?
Hi -
Dr. Welsh doesn't accept insurance as far as I know. You will likely have to bill your insurance. I don't know about Dr. Narukar.
Yvette
Any other dermatologist you guys reccomend??
I am still not sure about the laser, and just would like to find a derm. that can tell me what exactly is going on with my face. Preferably one that can accept my insurance...i doubt my parents would want to shell out some money for someone who doesn't accept my insurance. Unless its worth it.
Dr. Welsh worth it?
Dr. Welsh does accept insurance. However, in most cases, laser txs are considered a cosmetic procedures, and in that scenario, most derms do not accept insurance. However, I have appealed my insurance and have gotten reimbursed for laser, too. So, it depends on what you are going to Dr. Welsh for - a consultation for medical treatment, or laser.
Any medical treatment is covered by insurance, based on your plan's coverage. The laser may or may not be, but you'll likely have to pay upfront and then appeal your insurance for reimbursement. To get reimbursed by insurance for laser, you must prove you need it for medically necessary reasons, such as pain and severe flushing. With all that said, Dr. Welsh is one of the less costly derms I have been to, both for medical appts and for laser.
Talk to your parents and find out what your insurance coverage is and what dr's are included on their plan. It's best to go to an in-network dr most of the time.
Meg
That's great Dr. Welsh acceps insurance now. A few years back she did not. Thanks Meg for letting us know.
Okay, so I went to Dr. Welsh's website and it says she's not "contracted" with any insurance, but they will still submit all medical procedures to a person's insurance. Basically, that means she is an out-of-network provider. But even out-of-network providers are still covered by most insurances, albeit sometimes to a lesser amount than in-network providers.
When I have had any medical visits with Dr. Welsh, my insurance covered me 100%, but I have primary and secondary insurance, meaning the second one usually covers what the first one does not. Most people just have primary insurance, in which case, they would be covered based on the percentage their plan pays on out-of-network providers. Hope that clarifies everything.
Of course cosmetic procedures are always out of pocket, unless you have a medical reason to appeal for coverage.
Meg
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