$13,660 for an American to have a hip replacement in Belgium; U.S., it's closer to $100K

[steve2470]

(text modified to fit subject line)

http://www.npr.org/2013/08/07/209585018/paying-till-it-hurts-why-american-health-care-is-so-pricey

It costs $13,660 for an American to have a hip replacement in Belgium; in the U.S., it's closer to $100,000.

Americans pay more for health care than people in many other developed countries, and Elisabeth Rosenthal is trying to find out why. The New York Times correspondent is spending a year investigating the high cost of health care. The first article in her series, "Paying Till It Hurts," examined what the high cost of colonoscopies reveals about our health care system; the second explained why the American way of birth is the costliest in the world; and the third, published this week in The Times, told the story of one man who found it cheaper to fly to Belgium and have his hip replaced there, than to have the surgery performed in the U.S.

Rosenthal has also been investigating why costs for the same procedure can vary so much within the U.S. — by thousands of dollars, in some cases — depending on where it's being performed. Before becoming a journalist, Rosenthal trained as a doctor and worked in the emergency room of New York Hospital, now part of New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

She joins Fresh Air's Terry Gross to talk about why American medical bills are so high, and what needs to change.

The interview was very good. Highly recommended. $100K versus $14K ? Mind-boggling.

[Politicalboi]

1. Cause we're the best

USA! USA! USA!

[steve2470]

3. the best at charging for a human right, healthcare :p

[SoCalDem]

2. Only wealthy people can afford to fly to Belgium for the cheaper procedure

and they are more than likely to have adequate insurance here that would defray their out-of-pocket expenses..

The BIG issue is the fact that universal all-encompassing coverage LOWERS the cost-per-procedure for EVERYONE...and everyone "wins" (well except for the gazzillionaire insurance execs here)

[steve2470]

4. in this anecdote, his insurance company would not pay for the procedure

But yes, I agree with your points.

[Leila D]

11. I've just spoken with a rep from my insurance company and ...

...they consider foreign doctors and hospitals as In-Network and in the case of High Option GEHA I will only pay 10%. So going overseas will be considerably less with better outcomes than I would have locally, plus the chocolate and the beer is terrific! I was also reminded that transportation costs can be tax deductable or covered under FSAFeds.
The rep said that people are going to India, Thailand, Mexico and other places and GEHA is fine with that!

[gopiscrap]

12. welcome to DU

[Quantess]

6. No, not only the wealthy can afford to fly to Belgium.

I went to Belgium once, and I sure as hell ain't rich.
But I get your point. Either option is expensive.

I wonder how much the procedure costs for a Belgian taxpaying citizen? Probably not very much, in comparison.

[SoCalDem]

8. Going to Belgium is not a huge cost.. It's the additional $13,600 that;s the problem

[Koios]

5. Single-payer sucks and is COMMUNIST!!!!

Just look at the French, and these exorbitant out-of-pocket costs they pay!!!

[MineralMan]

7. Well, since hip replacements are normally done on

older people, with some notable exceptions, Medicare covers them for a large percentage of recipients. My father had one, and between his Medicare Part A & B and his supplement, there was zero out of pocket cost. Medicare paid nothing even close to $100,000, I can guarantee.

That $100,000 cost is what the charge would be for someone who is uninsured. Health insurance companies pay much less when they cover a hip replacement.

[newfie11]

9. Wonder what it is in Mexico

Also now that Mexico has a National health care bet their hip replacements are even lower for members.

[mnhtnbb]

10. I had a hip replacement in 2007--same year--as the man who went to Belgium.

I was 56 at the time. It did NOT cost anywhere near $100K (in a private hospital in Charlotte, NC). My insurance company covered it.
I no longer have copies of the bills--my house burned down 3 weeks after the hip replacement--
but if memory serves the total costs--hospital and surgeon's fees--came in around $37,000.

I am not trying to defend the cost of health care. I am a retired hospital administrator.
I have supported the idea of single payer for years and years.

But be careful. Costs--and more specifically charges-- are all over the map for procedures here in the U.S. and have been for many years.