Medical Consultation
A 60-minute consultation for a medical condition is $495. If you proceed with surgery, the full $495 is applied to your APSU surgical fee. Postoperative visits do not have a separate APSU charge.
Patient planning
Insurance, Costs & Financing
A clear guide to APSU’s out-of-network model, consultation fees, surgical estimates, reimbursement, and financing.
The Short Answer
- Out of networkAPSU does not bill insurance companies directly.
- Direct paymentPatients pay APSU according to the written financial policy.
- Superbills availableEligible medical services may be submitted for possible out-of-network reimbursement.
- No membership feeThere are no monthly or annual concierge fees.
- Written estimatesExpected charges and payment timing are reviewed before a procedure is scheduled.
Only your insurer can determine whether it will reimburse an eligible medical service and how much it will pay. Reimbursement is not guaranteed.
Consultations and Payment
Aesthetic Consultation
There is no consultation fee for an aesthetic consultation.
$100 booking fee
A $100 booking fee is required to reserve either a medical or aesthetic consultation. The office explains the booking terms before confirming the appointment.
After your consultation, APSU provides a written estimate based on the procedure or combination of services planned for you. When applicable, it identifies professional fees and expected facility, operating-room, anesthesia, and follow-up charges. Payment timing and available options are reviewed before the procedure is scheduled.
Why APSU Does Not Bill Insurance Directly
Insurance payment systems are built around separate billable visits and standardized procedure codes. In complex pelvic surgery, those codes do not always reflect the time, technical difficulty, or experience required to address several related concerns through one minimally invasive operation. They also do not account well for the personal access Dr. Stepp gives surgical patients before and after surgery.
Remaining outside insurance contracts allows APSU to organize care around the patient: time to listen, consider how different concerns may be connected, coordinate the appropriate surgical team, address multiple problems during one operation when appropriate, and remain directly involved through recovery.
More Time With the Surgeon
Appointments allow time to understand your concerns, discuss options, and answer questions without rushing the conversation.
Direct Access
Surgical patients have more consistent access to Dr. Stepp for questions before and after their procedure.
One Connected Plan
Related pelvic conditions and organ systems can be considered together, with other specialists coordinated when needed.
Continuity Through Recovery
Dr. Stepp remains involved after surgery rather than handing recovery entirely to a separate team.
At APSU, “concierge” describes the time, access, and continuity built into the practice. There are no monthly or annual membership fees.
Predictable Surgical Pricing
Dr. Stepp’s decades of surgical experience help him anticipate a procedure’s complexity and estimate the time, instrumentation, and resources it is likely to require. That experience allows APSU to provide an accurate written estimate and stand behind its quoted professional surgical fee.
APSU’s Fixed Surgical Fee
The APSU professional surgical fee remains fixed for the operation described in the written estimate. It includes the instrumentation, equipment, and supplies expected for the planned procedure. APSU does not increase that fee if additional items or appropriate surgical work are needed during the operation.
Charges From Other Providers
Facility, anesthesia, pathology, laboratory, pharmacy, and other specialist charges may be provided or billed by independent organizations. APSU identifies expected charges when available, but it cannot guarantee an amount it does not control unless the written estimate expressly states that it is included.
A lower-cost setting
Why Surgery at Waverly Can Cost Less
APSU’s comparisons are based on real patient estimates for procedures Dr. Stepp performs at Waverly Surgery Center and at Atrium. In APSU’s experience, Waverly’s facility fee is often about 10% of Atrium’s billed facility charge for the same procedure performed by the same surgeon.
Hospital billed charges are not necessarily the amount an insurer has negotiated or the amount a patient will owe. Insurers negotiate facility and physician payments separately, and hospital facility payments can be much higher without changing the surgeon or the procedure. Deductibles, coinsurance, out-of-network benefits, and plan rules determine each patient’s responsibility. These comparisons are based on APSU’s experience and are not a guarantee for every procedure or patient.
If You Plan to Seek Reimbursement
Before care, ask your insurer:
- Does my plan include out-of-network benefits for this medical service?
- What deductible and coinsurance apply?
- Is prior authorization or precertification required?
- What documentation must accompany a superbill?
- How and when must I submit the claim?
Common Questions
Does APSU accept insurance?
APSU is an out-of-network practice and does not bill insurance companies directly. Patients pay APSU directly. For eligible medical services, APSU can provide a superbill that you may submit to your insurer. Reimbursement depends on your plan and is not guaranteed.
Does APSU charge a concierge membership fee?
No. APSU does not charge monthly or annual membership fees. Patients pay for the consultation, procedure, or service they receive.
How much is a medical consultation at APSU?
A 60-minute consultation for a medical condition is $495. If you proceed with surgery, the full $495 consultation fee is applied to the APSU surgical fee. Postoperative visits do not have a separate APSU charge. A $100 booking fee is required when the consultation is scheduled.
How much is an aesthetic consultation at APSU?
There is no consultation fee for an aesthetic consultation. A $100 booking fee is required when the consultation is scheduled. The office explains the booking terms before confirming the appointment.
Can my APSU surgical fee increase after surgery?
The APSU professional surgical fee stated in the written estimate remains fixed for the surgery described. It includes the instrumentation, equipment, and supplies APSU expects the planned operation to require. If additional items or appropriate surgical work are needed during the operation, APSU does not increase its quoted professional surgical fee. Charges from independent facilities, anesthesia groups, laboratories, pathology providers, pharmacies, or other specialists are separate unless the written estimate expressly states otherwise.
What should Medicare patients know before receiving care at APSU?
Dr. Stepp has opted out of Medicare. Medicare patients must complete the applicable private contract before receiving non-emergency services and agree to pay out of pocket for Dr. Stepp’s services. Those services cannot be submitted to Medicare for payment.
Does APSU accept Medicaid?
No. APSU does not accept Medicaid. Under the applicable North Carolina process, a Medicaid patient who chooses care at APSU must complete a separate private-pay contract and pay APSU entirely out of pocket.
Does insurance cover cosmetic procedures at APSU?
Cosmetic procedures are generally not covered by health insurance. When a treatment plan includes both medically indicated and cosmetic services, the written estimate separates the applicable charges.