How Much Does it Cost?

[Philip B]

Apples to Apples

Apples to Apples

As noted in previous posts, my total is the entire inclusive package which includes all pre-op bills dating from February this year up to what I recently had to pay for test strips for my InRatio Monitor a couple of weeks ago.

If one is simply looking at costs associated only with the surgery, the observation concerning "apples to apples" is undoubtedly a good one. Unfortunately, as I look at what my surgery cost, I also look at the reality of the ongoing expenses that will continue to be paid. I'm afraid my ticker will be something of a high maintenance item (that's a perspective from someone who refused to see any kind of doctor for twenty-seven years), but it's worth every penny.

-Philip

 

[ruth]

$140,000 range for mine, insurance paid about $100,000, I paid $250 copay. I guess the hospital had to eat the rest.

BTW, mine is Kaiser Mid-Atlantic.....

Ruth

 

[jds]

My experience has been different. With BC/BS of Massachusetts and everything done at Mass General, I have never seen a bill except a few small ($10) co-pays for followup visits and maybe $200 in RX co-pays.

I had an MV replacement with a bovine valve.

I guess this insurance is better than I knew - group policy through my wife's employer.

John

 

[Jackie]

Hi Peggy,

I did not have to pay a cent for my surgery with Kaiser. I spent 3 weeks in the hospital,total bill was $257,000. I pay $10. copayments for doctor visits and prescriptions, nothing for lab.

 

[PeggyM]

Hi Peggy,

I did not have to pay a cent for my surgery with Kaiser. I spent 3 weeks in the hospital,total bill was $257,000. I pay $10. copayments for doctor visits and prescriptions, nothing for lab.

Thanks Jackie! I've been worried. FYI-I see him Tuesday!

 

[catwoman]

If one is simply looking at costs associated only with the surgery, the observation concerning "apples to apples" is undoubtedly a good one. Unfortunately, as I look at what my surgery cost, I also look at the reality of the ongoing expenses that will continue to be paid. I'm afraid my ticker will be something of a high maintenance item (that's a perspective from someone who refused to see any kind of doctor for twenty-seven years), but it's worth every penny.

-Philip

Philip:

The reason I was zeroing in on "apples to apples" is because not all valvers go through cardiac rehab, get a mechanical valve, buy/get an INR machine, need subsequent readmissions/hospitalizations for complications, etc.
Some people are in & out of the hospital in 4 days (I think we've had one or 2 have their valve jobs during their lunch hour ), and some people have complications and are hospitalized for several weeks, even months.

Citing only the costs of the hospital bill (nursing care, room/board, OR room use, admit kits, injections/Rx drugs, X-rays/TEEs/CT scans, etc.) + surgeon's bill + anesthesiology bill better answers most prospective surgery patients' question of "What is my surgery going to cost?" They can then compare those figures against their insurance coverage co-pays and deductibles.

As we all know personally, many people facing any kind of surgery are concerned about the costs, and unfortunately not everyone is insured or has adequate insurance.

Better to cross the bridge of extra expenses as they crop up.

 

[CathyK.]

I was a lunch hour valve jobber and my bill was around 100,000 I believe. Was in the hospital 3 1/2 days. I am sure I was charged for 4 days. I am double insured through Healthlink and haven't received any bills as of today. It takes awhile if you have two insurance policies.

 

[Jackie]

Good luck Peggy, hope you like Dr. Durzinsky.

 

[Philip B]

Apples to Apples Comments

Apples to Apples Comments

Hi Jackie,

My original post which contained the total bills to date for costs associated with my AVR surgery was a reply to Yankeebear's question about what it cost. The question asked for a ballpark figure including pre-op and post-op issues. The $275,000.00 figure I cited is the ballpark figure including pre-op and post-op issues in my particular case. I simply responded to Yankeebear's inquiry from my own experience. Others' experiences vary.

What you say about people being concerned about the cost of AVR surgery is certainly true. I'm one of those people who feels his insurance is not adequate and my wife and I knew this as I faced surgery. I'm still paying bills associated with the surgery and expect to pay bills associated with future cardiologist visits, lab visits, and monitoring tests for the rest of my life.

Please pardon me if I'm missing something, but I don't think I've disagreed with anything that you've said. It seems like something in my posts has you bugged. Sorry about that if this is the case.

It's a sad thing to have a discussion with one's spouse concerning the potential cost of AVR surgery when the individual has lousy insurance. The discussion kinda puts an interesting twist on that thing in the standard wedding vows about "in sickness and health". My wife and I have been there and done that. In the end, despite lousy insurance and the prospect of making payments for a very long time, we decided moving forward with the surgery was worth it; hence my comment about it being worth every penny.

-Philip

 

[tobagotwo]

YB - One note about your exercise stress test. If you look in the AHA website, you'll find that exercise stress tests are not advised by the AHA specifically for patients with aortic stenosis, both because the results become inconclusive with stenosis, and in the later stages, there can be significant danger to the patient.

If you've got aortic stenosis, you should read the AHA site about this issue and consider whether your cardiologist (or at least that test) is appropriate to your situation.

Best wishes,

 

[dot4toto]

Hi just got the copy of the bill yesterday...

Grand total: $185,000

Add $13,000 for the CAth the week before

The last surgery was about $80,000

Then surgery at 12 yrs. old 1978....Who knows maybe $30-40,000
Then add yrs of caths, echos, ekgs,whatever....

And you know what, I"M WORTH IT!!!!!!!!

 

[Jkm7]

I never received a bill for my OHS from the hospital, any of my doctors nor a copy from my insurance company of what they paid on my behalf. I left the hospital and that was that. I did not have to pay for a thing myself.

I did go digging into my insurance company's site which has a 'self-service' section and after digging I found totals but nothing but the scantest of breakdown. That does bother me as it seems so easy for errors to happen in the billing and if the patient never sees the bills, there is no hope for having any duplicate billings or charges for things that were not done corrected.

 

[Mitral Valve Annie]

Valve Replacement Cost

Valve Replacement Cost

My mitral valve replacement surgery was completed on July 13th of this year. The pre-op testing (TEE, Cardiac Cath, blood work, chest x-ray), surgery and hospitalization has totaled out at just over 154K. My insurance and adjustments for HMO left me with a $500 co-pay. Check your insurance too to see if it will cover post-op care, specifically cardio-rehab which I highly recommend. I head back to work on Oct 1st. and will have 18 days (of 36 prescribed) of rehab under my belt.