Doctors urging patients to schedule surgeries as soon as possible as their end-of-year schedules fill up

EL PASO, Texas -- Doctors are seeing their end-of-year schedules fill up earlier as more people try to get the most out of high-deductible plans, and are therefore urging patients to schedule surgeries as soon as possible.

By the end of every year, most people have made their deductibles, meaning things that they would need to pay mostly out-of-pocket at the beginning of the year are almost completely covered. Many people also already have time off scheduled for around the holidays, so they have more time to take care of their health needs.

"Routinely come, have the surgery - which usually is 20-30 minutes - and then leave that afternoon, and go continue your life versus having to stay in a hospital, having emergency surgery," said Dr. Jorge Carmona, General Surgeon at Providence Surgical Associates.