Hospital Charges Here and Elsewhere
For procedures such as the ones shown here, U.S. hospitals will most likely quote prices similar to those in the leftmost column for patients who lack insurance coverage and are ineligible for medical assistance. Not so abroad. By comparison, Medicare payments to hospitals are much closer to foreign prices than to the full-price quotes at left. Figures other than for Medicare payments were taken from Patients Beyond Borders, a bestselling series of consumer guides to international medical travel that have helped thousands of patients plan for successful procedures abroad. Healthy Travel Media, publisher of the series, has become a clearinghouse for valuable information about medical and wellness travel.
| Procedure | United States | India | Thailand | Singapore | Malaysia | Panama | South Korea | Taiwan | Typical Medicare Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coronary artery bypass surgery | $70,000-133,000 | $7,000 | $22,000 | $16,300 | $12,000 | $10,500 | $31,750 | $27,500 | $18,609-23,589 |
| Bypass surgery with heart valve replacement | $75,000-140,000 | $9,500 | $25,000 | $22,000 | $13,400 | $13,500 | $42,000 | $30,000 | $30,903-42,954 |
| Hip replacement | $33,000-57,000 | $10,200 | $12,700 | $12,000 | $7,500 | $5,500 | $10,600 | $8,800 | $10,085-12,263 |
| Knee replacement | $30,000-53,000 | $9,200 | $11,500 | $9,600 | $12,000 | $7,000 | $11,800 | $10,000 | $10,085-12,263 |
| Prostate surgery (TURP procedure) | $10,000-16,000 | $3,600 | $4,400 | $5,300 | $4,600 | $3,200 | $3,150 | $2,750 | $3,003-3,703 |
| Gastric bypass | $35,000-52,000 | $9,300 | $13,000 | $16,500 | $12,700 | $8,500 | $9,300 | $10,200 | $7,902-9,876 |
| Face-lift | $10,500-16,000 | $4,800 | $5,000 | $7,500 | $6,400 | $2,500 | $6,650 | $8,500 | * |
* Not reimbursable. Note: U.S. charges are list prices. Physician and certain other fees are generally excluded. Prices at non-U.S. hospitals are all-inclusive other than for Panama, which does not include surgeon’s fee. Medicare amounts represent typical reimbursements to hospitals. Sources: Patients Beyond Borders, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Reader Comments
vague
Nice comparison with 3rd world countries. What kind of imbiciles write and publish this garbage? Are there really that many stupid people with money for US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT to keep you in business? I doubt it. Free market will allow someone to get a better knee replacement like free market will eliminate this garbage. Let FREEDOM ring!
jp
septoplastyq=
I as sevely beated on the face and head where I need repair repair to my nose with septoplasty. My hostital in unwilling s=t supply that infoortiona, along with the costs for an anesthesitologost and his fee. I am in desperate need of an avoerate of these costs so that i can turn then into my attorneys office so he can turn tht informtion ito my attoney in reer that I can re reimbursed these fees. I have attempted to get this information from my local medical centers but I was advised they could not give me that information. I have court on the 29th of Oct. and therefore need that information as soon as possible.
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