? on DaVinci

[catwoman]

Last night, one of our local stations had a segment about robotic surgery for ovarian cysts. Reporter mentioned its use locally on thoracic and cardiac surgery.

She also mentioned that not all insurance companies cover robotic surgery, and cautioned patients to run that past their carriers.

That's the first I've heard of this.

Perhaps robotic surgery falls into the same class as virtual colonoscopies, which aren't covered by all insurance carriers.

Any info on coverage of robotic procedures??

 

[Blanche]

Marsha:

In June, 2005, I had robotic surgery at the Mayo Clinic, in Scottsdale, Arizona. Our insurance covered the procedure without problems. At that time, there were just a few places that had the tecnology. Now, just a few years later, most of the larger hospitals here have the robotic capabilities.

I know of at least 4 women who have had hysterectomies by robotic surgery and at least two others who had their ovaries removed at the Mayo, using the diVinci. Dr. Xavier Magrina, the head of gynecological surgery, told me that
he peforms robotic surgery for almost all of the surgery does.

I do recall that there was some concern about coverage for ovarian cysts in pre-menopausal women. As I recall, some insurance companies had concerns about elective surgery. I think the argument went something like....cysts come and go in pre-menopausal women, so the procedure is elective for that group of patients.

I would recomend this type of surgery highly. My surgery was done, out-patient, on a Monday morning. There was very little pain. I walked out of the hospital without assistance. And, by Friday I visited my doctor, went grocery shopping, and danced a waltz.

Hope this helps,

Blanche

 

[Philip B]

DaVinci

DaVinci

One of my former teachers had surgery via DaVinci to remove some cancer tumors. I believe his surgery was fully covered under the Medicare program.

-Philip

 

[Bear72]

No problems with insurance here, it was never questioned.

 

[deck1434]

Excerpt from Montefiore Hospital (NYC) website on Dr. Joseph DeRose and Robotic Cardiac surgery:

"...Dr. Joseph J. DeRose, Jr, Director of Minimally Invasive and Robotic Cardiac Surgery, has also pioneered the application of the Da Vinci Surgical Robot performing the first Robotic Biventricular Pacemaker in the world in 2002. Dr. DeRose likewise participated in the first robotic atrial septal defect closure in the United States and the first robotic thymectomy in the United States for Myasthenia Gravis. Dr. DeRose has appeared on NBC news, MSNBC, CBS news and the Today show discussing the merits of minimally invasive and robotic surgery. He has trained over 25 centers in the United States in robotic cardiothoracic surgery since 2002..."

He is the man I hope will work on me when "it's time"...Dianne

 

[Luana]

I got a flyer from my insurance company about 2 years ago that had an article about a woman who had robotic mitral valve repair surgery at a local hospital. I think my insurance then was Health Net. I have Aetna now and believe it would have been covered it I needed it, but needed AVR surgery instead.
http://www.memorialcare.org/medical_services/heart-care/heart-long-beach.cfm

Luana

 

[cp172]

My insurance company had no problems with the DaVinci. My surgeon told me he was unsure if the robot would be used.He planned to decided after the TEE while I was on the table. I never thought the insurance company cared since I was precertified for surgery.

 

[Atlanta Sweetheart]

I had robotic repair

I had robotic repair

of my Mitral Valve in July 2005 and insurance covered. I don't think this is a problem for heart surgery. It maybe for new procedures.

 

[Marcia58]

When I did my pre-cert, I specifically asked my insurance (Sagamore) about the DaVinci. They didn't have any problem with it...it was all heart surgery to them.

 

[catwoman]

Thanks for all your responses.

I had wondered where the reporter got her information, that not all insurance carriers covered robotic procedures.

I was a newspaper reporter years ago, and sometimes you have to rely on information provided you by "experts" when doing a story about subjects out of your league. I'm sure this was the case, and the doctors (or whoever) were just CYTA.