Approximate cost or best guess of disc replacement in a qualified surgeon
 

My insurance company says they will pay half the total bill out of network. I was hoping someone had an ideal about what their disc replacement cost in the USA and didn't mind passing the info to me. I don't need to see bills and such just your best approximation of what it cost.

In the US? at least $50,000 for a one level.

depends on region
 

Surgery practice and charges vary by region (probably from a Deyo/Mirza document in Spine or Spine Journal).

May I please suggest, pick two (2) ADR-experienced surgeons on the East Coast .

Ask each surgeon office for a price quote including work-up, 3-day (or standardard)
hospital stay, surgery, anesthesiologist, surgical nurses, "all-up costs".

This exercise will take up some of your time.

Suggest put the request in writing, with the insurance company context,
to your selected surgeons offices, attention the (billing, surgical support
team, administration, ...) correct person you determine after two -> four
phone calls.

I did similar, because insurance coverage position is one-level, and
I need two-level (adr, hybrid, ...)

My case for 1-level :
Vascular surgeon - $20K
ADR surgeon - $38K
Hospital/Anesthesia/Etc. - $60K

Your mileage may vary. The above prices were what they charged my insurance, I'm sure you can negotiate a bit if you are paying cash.

The cost varies widely!
 

Cervical is far less expensive than lumbar ADR as a general rule. Pls see: How much does artificial disc replacement cost?

There are links to topics therein...

Total cost
 

After insurance negotiations with the hospital, the total cost for my single level L5-S1 Charite ADR was $50K+, including everything. I stayed 3 nights. Put this price in the "midwest" geographic category.

-tc-

Thanks everyone for the responses on costs. I really appreciate the advice as well. My current plan is to call the in-network docs and see if they do L-spine disc replacement & how many they have done. If that turns no results, then start checking out of network. If I find a yes, I'll send a letter as recommended here.

There sure seems to be a lot of variability in costs.

One of the first things I need to do is to get the radiologist who read the MRI and the recent plain films to quantify the degree of facet dz. The neuro-surgeon that I saw 2 weeks ago got plain films to check on stability of the vertebra. All were stable, however the reading on these was facet dz at L4-5 as well as L5-S1. I'm going to call tomorrow and see if I can't get a re-read.

The check for clinical trials is negative so far but still looking.

I had an approximate price of $140,000 for five level hybrid surgery in the East. That was for a combination of ADR & fusion at two C levels, and the same (one ADR plus two fusion) in the L3-S1 levels. They didn't break it down into hospital vs surgeon costs.

The same surgery in Germany was ~$55,000

where?
 

Was your surgery at Stenum or someplace else.?

Maddie,

Sometimes I get in to big a hurry with my posts. If you had a quote from Germany was it at Stenum or someplace else?