Consultation process
Your consultation with Dr. Cat: what to expect
A plastic surgery consultation at Dr. Cat Plastic Surgery is a private, hour-long appointment with Dr. Cat herself, in person on Rodeo Drive or by video. It begins with a free 15-minute discovery call, and the $500 consultation fee is credited toward your surgery.
Board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, Harvard-educated and UCLA trained. Read patient reviews
The most important hour of the process
During your consultation, Dr. Cat takes the time to understand exactly what concerns you and what you hope to achieve. She performs a detailed history and physical exam, reviews a customized surgical plan with you, describes the procedure in detail and answers all your questions.
Because Dr. Cat performs every consultation herself and has a limited number of consultation appointments each week, the practice charges a consultation fee, which is applied to your surgery. General questions and price ranges are covered first, at no charge, on a discovery call with our Patient Concierge.
How the consultation process works
Four steps, from your first call to a reserved surgery date.
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Step 1
A free discovery call with our Patient Concierge
Your first step is a free 15-minute phone call with our Patient Concierge. She answers your general questions, gives you rough price ranges for the procedures you are considering, and books your consultation with Dr. Cat. The consultation fee is processed by card on this call, which secures your date and time.
Book the discovery call -
Step 2
Your consultation with Dr. Cat
You meet Dr. Cat in a private consultation room at 421 N. Rodeo Drive, or by video if you live out of town. She listens to what you want to change, examines you, takes a detailed medical history and explains what she recommends and why, with a customized surgical plan. The appointment lasts about an hour, and you are welcome to bring one adult guest.
Video consultations for out-of-town patients -
Step 3
Your quote, financing and available dates
At the end of the consultation you sit down with our Patient Consultant, who goes over your exact quote, answers your financial questions and explains financing through Cherry, CareCredit and Alphaeon for the surgeon's fee. She also shows you the available surgery dates. Your quote is valid for six months, and there is no pressure to decide that day.
Financing options -
Step 4
Reserving your date and preparing for surgery
Your surgery date goes on the books once you have signed your quote and pre-op requirements and paid the $2,500 deposit. About three weeks before surgery you have a pre-op appointment with Dr. Cat to review the instructions and consent forms and to be measured for your surgical garment. Your medical clearance and routine blood tests are completed 14 days before surgery so the results can be reviewed in time.
Pre-op instructions
What to bring to your consultation
A short list. Everything else, Dr. Cat and our team take care of.
- Government-issued ID such as a driver's license or passport.
- Your questions about the procedure or procedures you are considering.
- Example photos of the look you hope to achieve, to show Dr. Cat.
- Photos of your anatomy in good lighting, for video consultations only.
- Your operative note from a previous surgery, if you are interested in a revision.
- Medical clearance from your specialist, such as an oncologist or cardiologist, if you have a pre-existing condition and are concerned it may affect surgery.
Consulting with Dr. Cat from out of town
About 30 percent of Dr. Cat's patients come from other states and countries, and the practice has a simple process for them. After you schedule, our office emails you an invitation to OnPatient, the practice's secure patient portal, where you complete the consent forms and upload clear front and side photos of the areas that concern you.
Once your photos and forms are in, we set a time for your video consultation with Dr. Cat, held through the same HIPAA-secure portal so everything stays private. She reviews your anatomy from the photos, may ask you to do a few movements on the video call, discusses the procedures you are interested in and confirms whether you are a candidate. To protect your privacy, photos go through OnPatient only, never by Instagram message or email.
The full out-of-town patient processHow the consultation fee works
The consultation fee is $500, or $1,500 for a revision consultation, paid by card when you book. It is credited toward your surgery and cannot be used for Botox, fillers, lasers or other in-office treatments. Cancel at least 72 hours before your appointment for a full refund; inside 72 hours the fee is non-refundable, although we will move your appointment once as a courtesy. Once you have had your consultation, the fee stays on your account as a credit toward surgery and never expires.
Consultation questions
Answers reviewed by Dr. Cat Begovic, MD, FACS. Updated September 2026.
The consultation fee at Dr. Cat Plastic Surgery is $500, or $1,500 for a revision consultation, and it is credited toward your surgery. It is paid by card when you book and cannot be used toward Botox, fillers, lasers or other in-office treatments. General questions and price ranges are covered on a free discovery call first.
During your consultation Dr. Cat listens to what you want to change, takes a detailed medical history, examines you and reviews a customized surgical plan with you. She explains the procedure step by step and answers every question. The appointment lasts about an hour, in person in Beverly Hills or by video.
Yes. Dr. Cat consults with out-of-town patients by private video consultation through OnPatient, the practice's HIPAA-secure patient portal, after you upload your photos and consent forms there. About 30 percent of her patients come from out of town or overseas. Send clear front and side photos in good lighting through the portal, not by Instagram or email.
You meet Dr. Cat herself for the consultation, and then our Patient Consultant, who goes over your quote, the financing options and the available surgery dates. Every consultation is with Dr. Cat, in person or by video, because the plan she builds for you depends on her own examination.
Yes, one adult guest is welcome at your consultation. If a friend or family member is also considering surgery, each of you needs your own consultation, since each appointment is an hour long and deserves full attention. You can sit in on each other's visit, and the office tries to book you back to back.
Candidacy depends on your overall health, age, emotional well-being and expectations for surgery. A BMI close to 30 or below is recommended, with exceptions based on anatomy and health. Smoking raises the risk of wound-healing problems, so patients must have stopped smoking for two months to a year, depending on their history, before surgery.
For two weeks before surgery, avoid aspirin, anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen and naproxen, alcohol, herbal medications, vitamins and diet pills, because they raise the risk of bleeding. Tylenol is fine. You receive a complete list of medications to avoid and full pre-op instructions before your surgery date.
You receive your exact quote at the end of your consultation. Every patient's anatomy, surgical complexity and operating time differ, so the practice gives general ranges beforehand and the precise price once Dr. Cat has examined you and set the plan. Our Patient Consultant also explains financing through Cherry, CareCredit and Alphaeon.
Your quote is valid for six months from the date you sign it. If you schedule surgery after six months, you receive an updated quote at current prices. The consultation fee itself stays on your account as a credit toward surgery and never expires.
You can reserve a surgery date at the end of your consultation if you are ready, and there is no rush if you are not. Your date goes on the books once you have signed your quote and pre-op requirements and paid the $2,500 deposit. Surgery in the same week as a consultation is unlikely, because medical clearance, routine blood tests and a pre-op appointment with Dr. Cat come first.
No. Photos sent by Instagram message or email are not HIPAA secure, and an accurate quote needs an assessment of your anatomy and history. A video consultation covers this: Dr. Cat reviews the photos you upload to OnPatient, talks through your goals on the call and gives you a plan and a quote.
Ready to start?
Book a free 15-minute discovery call with our Patient Concierge. She answers your first questions and books your consultation with Dr. Cat, in person or by video.
Book a free discovery call