Your surgeon gets paid to operate. Be your own advocate in a predatory market.
Surgeons are trained to find solutions that require surgery. If you ask a surgeon if you need an operation, the answer is almost always a resounding yes.
Consult an independent, non-operating specialist (e.g., physical therapist, osteopath) to see if conservative recovery is viable first.
Doctors say "minor back soreness." They forget to mention that you won't be able to put on socks, sit on a toilet comfortably, or sleep on your side for 25 painful days.
Read raw reddit patient logs for your exact operation to design a realistic home support plan.
Even if the hospital and your main surgeon accept your insurance, the anesthesiologist or the hardware supplier might be independent contractors who send you an unexpected $12,000 bill afterwards.
Demand a written, signed estimate showing that EVERY contributor in the operating room is fully in-network.