The Mandatory Second Surgical Opinion provision is intended to reduce what?

• A. Reduces out-of-pocket costs
• B. Increases out-of-pocket costs
• C. No effect on costs
• D. Delays surgery

Answer: (A)

A Mandatory Second Surgical Opinion is about confirming that a proposed operation is truly necessary and guiding care toward a cost-effective plan. By requiring a second professional assessment before surgery, unnecessary or overly costly procedures can be avoided or replaced with cheaper, appropriate options, which lowers what the patient pays out of pocket. The aim isn’t to raise costs or have no effect on costs, and while obtaining a second opinion can introduce a brief delay for verification, the overall intent is to reduce the financial burden on the patient by avoiding unnecessary surgery.