How Much My Open RRP Cost!

I just received in today's mail the final billing from my open RRP surgery and for the 4 days I stayed there.  I about died of shock!  It came to $39,583.  I was looking at some of the detail, it's the small stuff they hose you so bad on.  They wouldn't like me take my own prescription meds while I was there, they supplied them instead and charged for them.  One Ambien = $40, I pay about $50 for a 30 day supply.  The Loratabs they had me on the last 2 days, $60 each, I paid $8 for 30 at CVS drug store when I came home.  It's been a long time since I've seen this detail of a hospital bill.  And the drugs were just the tip of the iceberg.

The surgeon's bills just for the same surgrey, were a little over $10,000.  It didn't strike me as too outrageous, unless you look at the fact that it took them actual operating time of 3 hours and 15 minutes.  But them I am still hoping that I got the benefit of his skill and experience, and ridding me of the PCa.

It mostly the hospital bill that flipped me, that was over double what I was have guessed.

And why is health insurance so expensive for most and out of reach for growing part of Americans?

David in SC

Healthwise, in reality, I could have used a 5th day, but we knew the insurance would never pay for it, and on the 4th day, the hospital sent a foul man to see me in the room to remind me of that. The only rude treatment I had in the process, he really pissed me off, and we were out of there inside of an hour on the way home.

I wish we too could make a small profit, so we could afford all these luxuries in life. Now imagine yourself living in Mexico, Africa, Middle East or like Juan Valdez and you get PCa??? What are your options??

They do have some, by the way, besides sucking it up and doing w.w. or w.-dying. Could Juan trade in his donkey and some coffee for surgery or radiations (i.e. Loma Linda-$250K+ maybe)???

If you don't have insurance it is disaster for the average person.

*we are allowed to ***** though, that is how things end up getting changed or repaired

coxjab - i guess for 4 days, i got the better deal, lol. actually, i was looking, the room itself was 857 a night, so they was only about 10% of the bill. but i was thinking of what kind of resort i could stay in for 857 a night.

zufus - i agree, and yes, i am an american with health insurance, things like you said make me feel thankful for my own plight, but horrified and sickened for those without any. in these other countries, you are just plain s.o.l. unless you have the money, and even if you did, not sure about the quality of health care unless you were rich enough to go somewhere else.

Don't want to go political either, England is probably like Canada, the Gov't provides a doc unless you could afford your own payment. In England the doc does not have to give you, your pathology report and can withhold that information(a Brit had mentioned)and if I remember hearing correctly they help decide what method or "repair" you get....now that smells. We do have alot of choices here in USA and can change docs (usually), that is a plus for us.

Zufus
In relation to the British scenario and pathology reports, I wonder if that is strictly correct. I would love to hear from our British cousins on that. In Australia the doctor does not usually give a patient a copy of a pathology report either, but that is not because he does not wish to, but rather, it is not the practice of patients here to think of asking for a copy. Mind you, I have never heard of a doctor giving a pathology result over the phone here either, which seems to be a common practice in the U.S. It is the norm here to do it in person. Having said all that, I always request a copy of every pathology report done on me for whatever reason and have seen surprise, (it being unexpected) but never resistance to supplying it. I would have thought that doctors here and elsewhere would encourage it as quite a few doctors I've seen have commented on the scope of the information in my own file I can place at their fingertips.
Bill

Heh you guys all got off cheap, well except Tony. My insurance was billed about 144K for my proton treatment. I haven't been around here posting much but just got my latest PSA done and thought I would pop in and say Hi. Latest results are in my sig.

Well, here is a report from Canada, not Britain.

• I had a choice of doctors.  I selected one in Hamilton because I wanted it removed with out being opened up.  It's not the same vast selection as available in the US, but we’re a country of only 33 million.
• I had a choice of treatments (open, seeding, laparoscopic, radiation).
• I did have to wait a little for a surgery date, but nothing overly long.  If I had been deemed a low risk (60+ slow growing) I would have had to wait longer.  It's prioritised heath care.
• I spend 3 days initially in the hospital, and then another week under traction.
• I received excellent care and left the hospital owing nothing.  Our Hospital insurance is paid for through our taxes.  Everyone pays, so that no one has to pay $40 for an aspirin.

The system works, but can be combersome at times.

mavica, my wife is a nurse and said the same thing about the meds at the hospital, still a hose job in my mind, she also said hospitals try to get their profit from the small things like that.

David, forget the cost - I'm just glad to hear you have the catheter out! I haven't looked at posts recently but have been thinking about you and hoping you had it removed. Congratulations! Hope you are feeling much better now.

Mine was about $32,000. Aetna got it down considerably but I still had to pay $3,500 out of pocket. Those $12,000 annual premiums finally paid off. The premiums take about one third of my pension but I am stuck for another 4 years until I can get on the Medicare bandwagon. That is if there is anything left in Medicare after it is paid out to those who never contributed. #*@% . I will say that Aetna did pay everyone with no problems. When I got a bill in the mail I sent it to them and it was paid. Now if they would only pay for the ED meds. I do allright without them but they do give that extra kick I need.

Gents,

Have not had the RP surgery yet. Have not seen any posts about medicare and what they may pay for RP. Then my secondary is supposed to kick in, but they have been practically good for nothing (at least premium is low since it is NYS).

As I have read, I am sure I will pay up the guzoo (is that how you spell it?) if I have to use their meds. three eye drops plus a few others!

Thanks Fred