The cost of inguinal hernia surgery!

[PSM]

The cost for 2 1/2 hours in the hospital and 45 minutes in surgery to repair an inguinal hernia was one 2017 CORVETTE STINGRAY RWD Coupe 1LT: 56,445. Oh joy!

Pat

[RichL025]

Originally Posted by PSM

The cost for 2 1/2 hours in the hospital and 45 minutes in surgery to repair an inguinal hernia was one 2017 CORVETTE STINGRAY RWD Coupe 1LT: 56,445. Oh joy!

Pat

No it's not.

That's what the CHARGES are, that's not the COST.

There are serious problems with the finance side of modern American health care, and one of them is the fact that consumers (patients) aren't told the costs (or actually, the charges) up front, and billing is notoriously random and unreliable.

Where did you get that number from? Is it part of your insurance paperwork? If so, don't worry about it, it reflects the hospital trying to stiff the insurance company to make up for all the times the insurance company stiffed the hospital. Those charges bear scant resemblance to actual costs.

Is this from a bill YOU got sent for a self-pay inguinal hernia repair? If so, that charge is out of line and easily fightable.

The actual COST of the hernia repair is around $5K: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26874507

So instead of a Corvette Stingray it's more like a solid used Ford Escort.

[PSM]

Originally Posted by RichL025

No it's not.

That's what the CHARGES are, that's not the COST.

There are serious problems with the finance side of modern American health care, and one of them is the fact that consumers (patients) aren't told the costs (or actually, the charges) up front, and billing is notoriously random and unreliable.

Where did you get that number from? Is it part of your insurance paperwork? If so, don't worry about it, it reflects the hospital trying to stiff the insurance company to make up for all the times the insurance company stiffed the hospital. Those charges bear scant resemblance to actual costs.

Is this from a bill YOU got sent for a self-pay inguinal hernia repair? If so, that charge is out of line and easily fightable.

The actual COST of the hernia repair is around $5K: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26874507

So instead of a Corvette Stingray it's more like a solid used Ford Escort.

Guess what my out-of-pocket share was: A solid used Ford Escort.

So I guess they get my premiums, then play ping-pong with the doctors and hospital, and I still foot the whole bill. Cool.

Pat

[RichL025]

Originally Posted by PSM

Guess what my out-of-pocket share was: A solid used Ford Escort.

So I guess they get my premiums, then play ping-pong with the doctors and hospital, and I still foot the whole bill. Cool.

Pat

Did you have insurance or was it fee for service?

[PSM]

Originally Posted by RichL025

Did you have insurance or was it fee for service?

I had Medicare and UHC supplemental. We had Etna for 15 years and had to switch to United Healtcare on 1 Jan (Etna pulled out of AZ). My surgery was 3 Jan.

It's no big deal, really. I just thought that it was funny that what I considered and simple and routine surgery would cost as much as a Corvette just after I went on Social Security. I'd rather they buy me the car, though.

Pat

[Kyobanim]

Here's a nice example of overcharging . . .

I have a genetic issue called Alpha 1 Antitrypsin deficiency. It keeps the liver from producing the enzymes that protect the lungs and liver from diseases. Kinda like an immunity boost. To remedy this, I get an infusion once a week of the enzymes that are taken from human blood plasma.

According to my insurance company: (I work for a hospital system, we are self insured).

The weekly cost for this is $25000.00. Yes, that is thousand. Billed from Glassia
The discounted cost for this is $21900.00. Discounted by Glassia
Actual billed cost to insurance is $3100.

So my average monthly cost of this would be $12400. per month, lucky that I am insured as it is costing me nothing.

[Oldrotorhead]

If you get a chance ask you Surgeon how much his Malpractice ins. costs. Then consider that he was only one of several doctors attending your surgery. It could easily be 10% of his income.

[doctom54]

Originally Posted by PSM

Guess what my out-of-pocket share was: A solid used Ford Escort.

So I guess they get my premiums, then play ping-pong with the doctors and hospital, and I still foot the whole bill. Cool.

Pat

Now you understand how insurance works in the USA.

[frostfire]

Have you looked into medical tourism?
More Americans go overseas for single day, out pt procedure.
In some cases, the technology is better than here.
We may still be in the lead with cutting edge research, but not in cost-efficient advanced medical procedure

I plan to go to Malaysia/Singapore/Thailand for a stem cell orthopedics procedure. Something that have not cleared ethics committee here.

[PSM]

Originally Posted by Kyobanim

Here's a nice example of overcharging . . .

You diffidently win, Kyo! Too bad that you have to go through all of that, though.

Originally Posted by Oldrotorhead

If you get a chance ask you Surgeon how much his Malpractice ins. costs. Then consider that he was only one of several doctors attending your surgery. It could easily be 10% of his income.

The total was 100% of my income. But I would like to see tort reform to relieve that burden on her. That threat also led to having to see a cardiologist for an echo-cardiogram prior to surgery because of my age.

Originally Posted by doctom54

Now you understand how insurance works in the USA.

I always knew it. It's just that I've not encountered it. I did have the same, opposite side, surgery 25 years ago but I didn't get an itemized bill for it. Besides that surgery and the birth of our son, we've only used it for yearly exams.

I don't have dental insurance but have to get an implant next month. At the moment it's $4000 out-of-pocket but, knowing this, I can probably get it down about 25%. The GOP Congress didn't do us any favors today.

Pat

[RCummings]

I have now had my Inguinal Hernia for 3 years, some good days some bad. For the folks who had a repair done what procedure did they use? Have you had any problems associated with the procedure? I will sort out the cost beforehand, thanks PSM! Docs and Nurses, any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

V/R

Bob

[PSM]

Originally Posted by RCummings

I have now had my Inguinal Hernia for 3 years, some good days some bad. For the folks who had a repair done what procedure did they use? Have you had any problems associated with the procedure? I will sort out the cost beforehand, thanks PSM! Docs and Nurses, any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

V/R

Bob

My first inguinal hernia surgery was what was called the Canadian, non mesh, method (Like Rand Paul went to Canada for.) In it, I was told, that they rebuild the abdominal wall over the hernia. The downside was that I could have another hernia. The other was that the recovery (in hindsight) was much harder than for my second, mesh, surgery. It was painful and took awhile to standup straight since I had to stretch the tighter abdominal muscle. (This is just my lay observation, the docs may explain that I'm way off base.)

As I said, recovery from the open repair mesh surgery was much less painful (basically none) and a few weeks shorter. The downside was that 9 months later I was in the ER for intestinal obstruction surgery, caused by the mesh snagging it, that cost me 2 1/2 inches of intestine. Plus, there is still discomfort in the original surgical area.

If I had to do it again, I would go with the Canadian type again, like Paul. Mine was done in Torrance, CA, so it's not solely a Canadian thing.

HTH!

[RCummings]

Thank you PSM. I am at a loss with this decision. I went to see a surgeon yesterday and did not like a single part of the visit. From what little I understand about this I am having second thoughts.

Respectfully

Bob

[Swoop]

I had the mesh repair surgery back in 2000; as PSM said, a couple of weeks for recovery (1st few days were pretty uncomfortable). I have not had any real issues other than a bit sensitive around the scar area. Best of luck with your decision and procedure.

[JJ_BPK]

Originally Posted by PSM

I had Medicare and UHC supplemental. We had Etna for 15 years and had to switch to United Healtcare on 1 Jan (Etna pulled out of AZ). My surgery was 3 Jan.

It's no big deal, really. I just thought that it was funny that what I considered and simple and routine surgery would cost as much as a Corvette just after I went on Social Security. I'd rather they buy me the car, though.

Pat

Pat

Look at plan F offerings(zero co-pay - zero out of pocket) next fall.

I have used plan F in Florida and now NOVA for about 10 yrs and the costs is not that much higher.

My $00.00002