Frequently Asked Questions
How many cases does Dr. Kroeker do a year?
Dr. Kroeker does over 400 surgeries per year (all thyroid and parathyroid surgery).
Why do I need to have another ultrasound of my thyroid with Dr. Kroeker if I just had one at a radiology facility?
Dr. Kroeker needs to verify what was seen and do a more detailed exam of your thyroid. As your surgeon, she is responsible for doing the right thing for you!
What does a thyroid FNA (fine needle aspiration) entail?
Dr. Kroeker will numb your skin with a local anesthetic. Then she uses a very small needle to obtain a small amount of cells from your thyroid nodule. She uses ultrasound guidance to ensure her accuracy.
You will feel a bit of pressure with the biopsy, and you may feel a small lump in your throat for a day or two after the biopsy due to a very small amount of bleeding that will occur. The whole process takes about 5-10 minutes.
How much will my thyroid surgery cost?
It takes a team to do a thyroid surgery. You not only have a surgeon, but patients will have an anesthesiologist fee and a hospital fee.
To get an estimate from Dr. Kroeker, you can contact or call her office in Austin and speak with her office manager, Lori (512-491-0017).
For patients who do not have insurance, Dr. Kroeker offers a self-pay rate that is comparable to what would be owed out of pocket even if that patient had insurance.
What insurance do you take?
Dr. Kroeker accepts most major insurance plans:
Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, Aetna, Cigna, Humana, Tricare, Medicare, and many others. Visit our Insurance Page to learn more, or give us a call to see if Dr. Kroeker is in network with your insurance.
What if you are self-pay (no insurance)?
Some patients prefer to pay for surgery without going through insurance. For patients who do not have insurance, Dr. Kroeker offers a self-pay rate that is comparable to what would be owed out of pocket even if that patient had insurance. Visit our Self Pay Page to learn more, or give us a call to find out more about Dr. Kroeker’s self-pay options.
Does Dr. Kroeker prescribe thyroid hormone and treat hypothyroidism?
Dr. Kroeker is a surgeon with expertise in thyroid and parathyroid surgery as well as the management of thyroid nodules. She does the initial prescribing of thyroid hormone after thyroid surgery. Thereafter, thyroid hormone management is best done by a primary care provider or endocrinologist. Dr. Kroeker is not an endocrinologist, so she is not an expert in the fine-tuning of thyroid hormone.
