Prostate Surgery

Hi There and Thanks in Advance for All You Wonderful Folks Who are Helping ---

I have been recently diagnosed with PC. Early stage T1c with 3 of 12 cores positive, Gleason 3 + 3, age 60, and parents who have long lifespan. You're never sure about yourself, but want to plan for that possibility. As a result, I have done lots of research and decided on surgery.

Unfortunately, I live in Southern California and have Kaiser Insurance. I'm going through a variety of consults with Kaiser, the next one with Dr. Gohar in Harbor City. In the interim, I have met with Dr. Kawachi at the City of Hope, who has done around 2,600 of the RRP operations with excellent success (his references are outstanding). The cost to me will be $42K, but I guess sometimes you have to spend the money. Anyway, the surgery will be painful, and so will the financial aspects.

I have a 2nd consult set up with Dr. Carroll at UCSF. I have heard, but not verified, that Dr. Carroll does NOT do many of the surgeries, and has a team of guys that handle it.

So, here's the question(s):

1) Anyone know whether Dr. Carroll does the surgeries himself or "shops it out to staff?"
2) Any input on the doctors I have mentioned (Kawachi, Carroll, or Gohar)?

Thanks in advance.

We're having fun now :)

Mike

I admit I haven't heard much praise about Kaiser, but why would it cost you $42000 if you have Kaiser?

Ventura,

go where you have the confidence.  I'm in Nor Cal I don't know any of the Kaiser Doctors you mentioned. Kaiser is different insurance. My co-pay was $15. I guess that's the difference. My Doctor had only done hundreds. What ever you chose will be the right thing to do for you.

Best of luck and sorry your here, but welcome just the same.

Mike

You can be sure that The City Of Hope and Dr. Kawachi also accept Medicare patients. You should inquire how much Medicare would reimburse them (the hospital and the doctor) and ask if they would accept that same amount from you...The $42K is the "list" price and few people actually pay that.. Private insurance companies usually base their payments on the Medicare figure also, they may negotiate up a little, but it's always much less than the list price..

Hi Mike,
Keep working on the CoH guys. They can come down more.

I used Tim Wilson at CoH. Great facility and great surgeons. Peter Carroll does still do surgeries but your question is a valid one for him to answer. Kawachi is an excellent choice as well.

Keep up the diligent approach. You don't get any do overs with prostate cancer therapies and you have already learned about the fact that if you choose surgery, you want a wiz doing it. The names you have put out there are at the top of that list.

Tony

A claim of 2,600 surgeries performed would cause me to ask some more questions, such as over what period of time the surgeries took place.  Though a certain number of procedures are necessary to assure a certain level of comfort/competency of the surgeon (particularly concerning the da Vinci procedure), too many might mean the office operates a surgery mill where the surgeon performs little of the procedure and the bulk of the work is carried-out by associates, residents, med students, etc.  I really hope, for your sake, that you can find a way for the insurance company to pick-up the cost, or most of the cost of this surgery.  Best wishes for a successful outcome.