Cost of AVR?

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archkre

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 2, 2005
Messages
98
Location
Pembroke Pines, Florida
I need to know the approximate cost of an AVR surgery, performed in U.S. by one of top 10 surgeons with On-x mechanical, including pre-surgical studies, Hospital, and so on, please!
It is for an acquaintance of mine that lives abroad and wants the surgery performed in U.S.
Of course this person doesn't have any Health Insurance coverage in U.S.
Thanks a lot!
 
Cost

Cost

On August 4th I had an AVR & aortic stem repair at Abbott Northwestern hospital in Minnesota. Abbott Northwestern is consistently ranked in the top 25% of heart hospitals in the US. The hospital it self is new, there were adequate facilities for my wife to stay in my private room. We had hi speed internet available without charge, and my son tweaked a couple of things (I have no idea how, but took about 45 seconds) and we had a wireless network in the room. My surgeon was Dr. Vibu Kshettry (you can read lots about him on the net-my surgeon friends thought he was top notch, and he does several hundred of these surgeries a year).

In general, the total cost was close to $100,000.00. Perhaps you are aware of this, but insurance companies are able to negotiate steep discounts, and it seemed to me that they probably paid less than 2/3 to 1/2 of what was billed. I have good (but expensive) health insurance and only paid an initial fee of $100.00. I don't know if there is any way for an individual to negotiate a similar discount. I hope this helps. Obviously, if I had been paying myself I would have kept better track.
 
My husband's was around $100K also, give or take a few thousand. Like Dennis, we have great insurance so, while I received the bills, the negotiated rates our insurance paid was a great deal less than the regular rates.

Mary made a point a few weeks ago that providers have two rate sheets, one for insured and one for noninsureds. I would definitely have your friend do a lot of homework on this.

Good luck!
 
? India

? India

A few months ago we learned of a carpenter from North Carolina, who had no health insurance, that his BAV valve surgery at Duke might run over 100K.( Of course they would give a big discount to an insurance company). Anyhow he decided on India at a hospital in NewDelhi where all the surgeons were US board certified. He got good VIP treatment, limousine from the airport, a side trip while convalescing to the Taj Mahal,special nurses etc. He did the whole thing air fare included for about 10K, and he took his girl friend along.
 
Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic

Hi,
I had AVR at Cleveland Clinic in May of 2005. My bill for the actual surgery/hospitalization afterward was around 80,000 before insurance; the pre-testing, which included labs, echo, CT, pulmonary function test, carotid doppler, cardiologist visit, surgeon visit, chest xray, and cardiac cath, was around $20,000 before insurance, so I'd say the $100,000 isn't a bad number. My surgery was done by Bruce Lytle who's head of Cardiovascular Surgery at Cleveland Clinic, although Toby Cosgrove is still probably the top dog surgeon wise but since he's in charge of the entire Cleveland Clinic probably isn't doing quite as many surgeries as in the past.
Interesting, after insurance my bill for the initial hospitalization was 9000--makes you wonder why they bother billing insurance for $75000 when they're only going to get paid a little more than 10% of that....
 
I'd say, $100,000 is a good round number for all pre-testing, cath, surgery and hospital- the insurance companies and or Medicare usually beat them down a bit from there. Many hospitals and doctors have a reduced rate (10-20%) if you don't have insurance- worth asking about.
 
A mitral valve repair at the Cleveland Clinic in November of 2005 with Dr. Cosgrove was $78,000. That includes everything.

After discounts given to our insurer, it was in the $45,000 range.
 
I live in Florida but my surgery was performed at the University of Alabama (Birmingham Hospital, UAB). My surgery at UAB was about $106,000.00. Another thing to consider is the possiblity that if complications occur, that will naturally drive the cost up. After I returned home, I had complications and was hospitalized 20 minutes away. I was there for 9 days and the cost was about $20,000.00.

Karl
 
The bill from the hospital for my PVR last year was $96,000 :eek: My insurance company negotiated that down to $33,000. Bear in mind that I am on Medicare, and have Blue Cross as supplemental insurer. I'm not exactly sure how that works....I just pay the bill;) It almost seems like the hospital inflates the bill, knowing the insurance company is going to pay out far less.
 
I wasn't up to even thinking about bills for several weeks.:D Just filed them away..I do remember several months later. I had a bill for $40.00 from hospital. No explanation. Just paid it...We laughed and said, it was for those 2 pair of ugly stockings, they made me wear.:D I do remember the total cost was around $98,000...and all was paid except for this $40.00.I do know that I had a million dollar coverage...Lifetime..and had only been in hospital, twice to give birth in 36 years on this insurance. United healthcare.....Now, I'm on Medicare...and have Unitedhealth for 2nd insurance......Not to get off the subject..but those who have insurance..Take out dental Insurance when you start to get into middle age.:D We only had $1,500 a year..Each, and Hubby and I have had to get dentures (Him)..me, extractions and crowns and peridontist (sp?) Teeth don't last.:p ..Bonnie
 
I know I'm off the original question, so no one needs to wrap my knuckles. . .

Put that Ruler down, Gadgetman:p :p :p

but my surgery cost me nothing. I was fortunate enough to have double BC/BS coverage and had met my deductible early in the year for other medical expenses. I only wish that everyone could be so lucky.:)
 
Children's Hospital

Children's Hospital

My AVR was done at Children's Hospital in Little Rock, AR. ACH Little Rock was home to Drummond Webb who was a wonderful heart pediatric heart surgeon. He and Little Rock ACH were featured on a prime time news show a couple of years ago.

Anyway, I was in CV/ICU for 3 days and a regular room for 3 days. The care was wonderful - top-notch. Michiaki Imamura was my surgeon. The bill was around 75,000. My insurance negotiated it down to about 55,000.

Not everyone can go to a Children's hospital thought. ( I would highly recommend it)

I have heard that in regular "adult" hospital's they don't give you anything for pain when they pull your chest tubes. They gave me some GOOD STUFF when they pulled mine. That in itself is a big plus for Childrens Hospitals.BECCA
 
Becca - I remember reading posts before, during and after my husband's surgery about asking for pain meds when the pull the chest tubes so when they came in to do it, they weren't going to give him anything for the pain. From reading these posts - I asked for something; no problem! My hubby thanked me afterwards - even with the meds on board, it still hurt like the dickens and felt extremely "weird."
 
Cost

Cost

I have found this thread most interesting, it a question I would have liked to ask you people in the US.

As you know, in the UK it is possible to have this completely free of charge, or if you wish, you can have the work done privately, that is not on the NHS. As I have private health insurance I used a private hospital and the total cost of MVR/AVR including 12 days in hospital was about $US 50,000. It is worth noting that I had the same surgeon that I would have had if I opted for free treatment - but the food in the private hospital was much better!
 
I think my husband would agree, Mike! But at least he was in lala land so when they pulled them the swearing wasn't as bad as it would have been without the fun pills! It was a loud SHEEEEEEEEEE - IT!
 
Mine was a tissue valve in '03. Hospital (4 days) $85,000, world class surgeon $10,000, anesth, $8,500.
Normal size left atrium......priceless
 
I don't even think I yelled or screamed a word when the chest tubes were coming out. I just recall gasping and my eyes trying to crawl out of my head.

If I was on some of the happy drugs that you talked about, I probably would have thought that the devil had shown up and was trying to pull out my soul.

Hopefully never again!
 
Chest tubes didn't hurt a bit - just yucky feel. But those little wires - ouch!
 
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