Please share updated surgical cost estimates

[Cheryl0331]

Could patients who have had surgery in Germany or Spain within the last 6 months to a year please share your cost estimates?
My 2 level cervical with M6 in 2015 was $32,000. USD

[funcrew]

Germany 2 levels cervical $35K US 3 levels lumbar $65K US

[John B]

Hi Funcrew,
I hope your surgery went well and your recovery thus far. Please let me know how everything is. Just this week I emailed Dr Desai my MRI and X-rays, along with the questionnaire. I’d love to talk with you about Dr Desai, Cologne for 2 weeks, etc
I need to have a 2-level cervical done. About how much do you think this will run? Have you tried filing a claim yet with insurance?
Thanks - John

[Enzo2]

Originally Posted by John B

Hi Funcrew,
I hope your surgery went well and your recovery thus far. Please let me know how everything is. Just this week I emailed Dr Desai my MRI and X-rays, along with the questionnaire. I’d love to talk with you about Dr Desai, Cologne for 2 weeks, etc
I need to have a 2-level cervical done. About how much do you think this will run? Have you tried filing a claim yet with insurance?
Thanks - John

John, I'm in the same position as you are, currently researching two level replacement at C5-7. Haven't heard back from Desai yet, but Clavel in Spain was about the same as some others report for two level cervical ADR = 29,000 Euros or about $32K US. In the US, quotes for the procedure seem to end up about 48$K US and up. Good luck with your research and please keep us posted with your decisions along the way. There are still people here reading even though participation is low.

[Cheryl0331]

I sent two packages to Dr. Clavel ; it cost me $250 for guaranteed delivery for the first one , then he ordered a CT and that was another $180.

I couldn't get our laptop to upload the DICOM file.

Still waiting on my husband to complete his patient forms , so that Dr. Clavel can give us his assessment.

The snail mail thing is grueling. So I opted for UPS , because USPS could not guarantee a delivery within a certain time. They said it could take a month!

[annapurna]

Originally Posted by Cheryl0331

The snail mail thing is grueling. So I opted for UPS , because USPS could not guarantee a delivery within a certain time. They said it could take a month!

We used USPS Global Express. It's often cheaper than UPS but fast delivery with tracking.

[Cheryl0331]

Originally Posted by annapurna

We used USPS Global Express. It's often cheaper than UPS but fast delivery with tracking.

The UPS clerk scared me out of using USPS anything.

[annapurna]

Originally Posted by Cheryl0331

The UPS clerk scared me out of using USPS anything.

Do you think that they might have a bias? We did okay with USPS but you have to factor in the effect of going through Customs. Fill out the forms wrong and your package, no matter how innocuous, could be delayed for weeks or never get there. A trained clerk who knows the forms and system, USPS, UPS or FedEx, will go a lot farther towards getting your package there quickly.


I deal with sample shipments from Europe at my work. Fill out a form wrong and that one week rush shipment can sit for a month waiting for all of the corrections to be made and acknowledged.

[Cheryl0331]

The clerk helping me was kind of pushy.
I had to keep telling him how the address needed to read for Spain too.
I guess his is goal was to sell UPS not give the customer the best deal.