Cost is one of many factors that should play into choosing the appropriate medical procedure to address your condition. Here’s my rationale for this thinking.
Some patients are initially “sold” on the idea of getting ADR, e.g. at Stenum, by marketing which touts their “low cost” and “speedy” procedures. And as we’ve seen here, some Stenum patients have had severe and debilitating complications. That being said, one can travel to India or Thailand (some hospitals are advertised on this web site via Google Ads) and have a one level ADR for $5,000 to 10,000. One doctor-patient on this board went to Thailand for a one-level ADR and seems to be doing well (at app. eight months).
The extreme price range in this new global world of medical tourism is $5,000 to $100,000. But here are the average costs in the northeast U.S. for a one-level procedure:
Artificial disc - $11,500 (Charite’)
Surgical & professional services - $15,000
Hospital services - $8,000
Total - $34,500
These are just ballpark averages. Remember, because of the nightmares of hospital billing and differences among institutions, determining accurate average ADR costs is difficult. Next year, I’ll have some good numbers to share.
My 2 cents on the rest:
1. Find a doctor you like & trust that specializes in spines;
2. Through this professional, obtain an understanding of your diagnosis, with his/her best treatment advice;
3. Get educated on these recommended options, and make sure you understand the qualification AND disqualification criteria for this (or these) options;
4. Have reasonable and educated expectations about the likelihood and possibility of your pain reduction resulting from the treatment;
5. Choose the most appropriate option for the long-term.
Please tell us a bit more about your quest, e.g., where you are in terms of your diagnosis & treatment. Pls include a signature too.
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