Surgery Cost

[TIM W.]

Someone wrote in a while back about the cost of valve surgery. I got my hospital bill yesterday. I had surgery on Friday, 3/21 and was released the following Thursday, 3/27. The bill came to $51,502.84. Just the valve, a Stentless Bovine, was $10,733.90. That's just the hospital, not the surgeon, anesthesiologist, or the daily "in room" cardio visits! By the way, my share of the bill is $20. (Thank God I have good insurance!!!)
My "journey" that led to my surgery began in May of 2002. All the various tests, procedures, and office visits prior to the surgery came to $24,500.00. So, in summary, so far I have "spent" just about $75,000.00. My total out of pocket is $180.
Anyone else care to share their bill history? It would be interesting to compare costs at various hospitals.
My surgery was at Hamot Hospital in Erie, Pa.

 

[Nancy]

There was another thread on precisely that a little while ago. Here's the link:

http://www.valvereplacement.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2937&highlight=cost

 

[chastecl]

My husband's statements, just from Mayo for his surgery 3/27/03 and hospital stay until the following Monday, are collectively up to around $80,000 already. The SynerGraft homograft valve was $10,000 plus. We're still waiting to see if there will be more statements in the mail and there probably will be. He pre-certified with the insurance company prior to his surgery so hopefully we won't be hit out-of-pocket too badly.

 

[joy]

In 2001 at the UWMC, I had over $200,000 racked up there. Fortunately, I don't have any out of pocket expense! The navy pays it all! I had one stay in the ICU for 7 days, and then into the antepartum dept for 5 days plus all the other costs, and THAT bill came to $55,000. To have Erik I was in the ICU for 2 days and the post partum dept for 1 day, and that stay cost over 20,000, then there was my surgery, that bill was $60,000. THen all the other doctor visits...It just adds up. I have no cap, and no out of pocket expense. They changed the rules in 2001 and that made it easier for me to go to a civilian network. I also had 5 days worth of stays at 2 other hospitals but don't know how much those stays ended up costing since they don't send us the bill. Anyways, it's expensive!

 

[Georgia]

More hospital charges

More hospital charges

My stay cost a total of $70,039.10. That's not including the surgeon (never have seen any bills from him. I'm with an HMO, so there's no necessity for anyone to send them to me) or the cardiologist or anesthesiologist.

Items of interest: Cardiac ICU - $2030 per day. Coronary care unit - $1150 per day. (I was in each for 2 days)

St. Jude mitral valve - $11,685

I had a bill for $12,291.26 for the 3 days I was in the hospital in January when I first was diagnosed.

My total out-of-pocket was $300. Seems pretty fair to me.

 

[Marty]

MVR in Virginia

MVR in Virginia

Medical costs for the same procedure have wide geographic variations. This drives insurance executives and government planners crazy. I had a St. Jude mechanical mitral valve replacement September 19, 1998 at Inova Fairfax in Falls Church Virginia. I was admitted to the hospital the AM of surgery and discharged the AM of the 4th post op day. Fortunately , no complications or added expense. My hospital bill was $30,000 and the surgeon fee $5,000. Medicare and my supplement paid for everything. I would like to see everybody in the country with this type of coverage. This is what "single payer" is all about. You will hear more about it from Dr. Howard Dean and others during the next presidential fracas.

 

[Dave M]

Total pre- and post-op expenses were just over $100,000 including a 2-day visit at the Cleveland Clinic; surgery and an 8-day stay at Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock.

 

[Kim]

My total valve replacement with surgeon and rehab fees, came to right at $300,000. I spend 5 days on total life support in ICU with four round the clock nurses. I also went back into surgery the next day for 90 minutes or so, to stop bleeding in my chest cavity.

surgeon's fee-----$24,000
pharmacy------over $50,000 (I couldn't believe this!!)



UNBELIVEABLE! I paid $0.00!!!! I have an HMO.

 

[Mb]

Hello!

My husband and I have paid for our own health insurance since about 1985. Right now, we pay about $850.00 per month for the two of us.

His hospitalization alone was about $70,000. I do not know, nor do I mind not knowing, what the total bill has been, particularly since we have made 4 visits to the ER, seen more specialists than you can imagine (the only one missing is an OBGYN person).

Is insurance expensive? You bet. The only thing we have paid besides the insurance bill monthly, are co-pays. The co-pays from the pharmacy range from $150-$200 per month. His most recent script he needs special approval on, and that will run $325.00 per month.

Regardless, I think we got the better end of the deal. (By the way, I haven;t seen a doctor in two years....except, of course for the yearly mammogram)....We still got the better deal.

Marybeth

 

[terry40]

Tim W

Tim W

I can only remember the price of the mecahnical valve, $31,500.,

That's the price we paid for our home oh so many years ago!

and of course that doesn't include installation

Terry40

 

[Bob]

The cost of my valve repair is past $70,000 with some bills yet to come. Since I had a repair there wasn't a valve cost and I dont know how much the valve ring cost. Also have insurance and medicare which has paid for everything except half of medications. My half has been about $600 which isn't too bad.

 

[Granbonny]

Insurance

Insurance

My hubby is a retired Delta Airlines pilot.....All 35 years with the old Delta airlines. when he retired we each had a $1000000.00 coverage...In the 35 years, I had 2 babies..and NO other hospital stay.. The year 2002..they paid $90, 546.96..at the beginning of the year..hunting for my problem..Valvereplacement and follow ups..all year. We pay No cost towards insurance..United Healthcare..They bought my Protime with no questions asked..End of the year was $926.94..out of pocket..20% of Protime and cuvettes..plus the $100.00 deductible at first of the year... Funny I remember receiving a bill for $40.00 from hospital..Phone calls?..Probably..because family stayed in my room for a week. Hope I never have to use that $900,000.00 left. bonnie

 

[Guest]

Hmmm...I guess my insurance isn't as "great" as I thought it was....

Believe I'm going to end up paying about $1800 for the surgery I had on January 6.... Not bad...but, not good compared to some already posted here...LOL.

The bills part of the surgery has been just as stressful as the surgery itself...if not more so. When I went in for my pre-op, I was scheduled to (and did) meet with the business office...and signed an agreement to pay the hospital so much per month. But, that was believing that the hospital would bill first...they didn't. So, now, it has become a nightmare working with the different "departments" (not sure of the correct term) to schedule monthly payments...aye....

Let's see...from what I can tell (bills thus far)

Children's Memorial Med Grp (Diagnostic)...approx $400, of which I owe about $20.

Children's Memorial...$112,149.95, of which I owe $269.54

Surgeon's...$40,273, of which I owe $689.56

Anesthesia...$2,560, of which I owe approx $460

Misc...$2,000, of which I *should* owe about $80....I received a bill on Friday for $1700...I'm gonna call them Monday morning...arg...more "discussions"....LOL.

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[Marty]

Surgeon fee?

Surgeon fee?

Your surgeon may be good but I don't think he's 8 times better than mine!

 

[Guest]

*Scratches head* Uhhh...Marty, not quite sure what to say...LOL.

I did just double check the bill from the surgeon's office...that is the total.... Actually, I *should* say that is the total from the EOB I received from my insurance company. The EOB has "surgery" listed 4 times, "Asst Surgeon" 3 times & "Physn Diag Serv" once.... When I receive the complete bill from the surgeon's office, I can post the descriptions, if you like....

 

[LUVMyBirman]

I consider Chicago and the DC area equal in regard to a cost of living standpoint. With Chicago pushing just a tad ahead. We were going to relocate to a suburb of MD and bought a house before ending up back in Chicago. Hence, the comparison.

If you want to talk hospitals........ DC and the surrounding areas has some of the best. So good that I would not hesitate to travel for surgery.

Anyway, my surgery and associated costs in TN were slightly under 100K. Recall the surgeons fee to be nominal. Have to see if I can locate that bill. Did I get a lesser valve job?? In retropect we are all here to tell our story. Cost should be irrelevant.

 

[Marty]

Good Insurance?

Good Insurance?

What I see on this thread is a lot of bright successful people with very good insurance that will pay any bill no matter how exorbitant. This system though not painful to the individual, places a huge strain on society's resources. The companies that broker these transactions skim a lot of healthcare money into their private bank accounts. For instance, the CEO of United Healthcare in 2000 was one William McGuire. His compensation package in 2000 netted him $110 million. Jeffery Barbakow of Tenet cleared $116 million in 2001. These staggering sums used to be used to prop up nurses salaries and help in research. The aggregate compensation for the top fifteen leading payers this year comes to over 1 billion dollars!Health care is no longer controlled by the profession, or even true insurance companies. It is managed by brokers, speculators if you like. People who buy low and sell high.
These guys make **** Vincents friends at Enron look like boy scouts. Many of us won't be happy but hopefully the majority will do better with the "single payer" system that is inevitable.