Why would it cost $4k MORE to remove my cardiac monitor in 2014 than it cost to have it inserted in 2010? Inflation? Because there were more care providers attending to me during insertion, and that surgery was a bigger deal than removal.
I just logged in to view recent claims and was shocked to see the cost difference.
DH recently got an MRI and I was surprised to learn that prices (after our insurance paid their portion) was about a $1000 difference from hospital to hospital.
Which tells me that there's really no rhyme or reason to medical costs in this country.
I asked this same question of some of Dh's coworkers. The answer I received is that the Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement rates have dropped in the last few years. So much so that some procedures lose money. There are also more people on Medicare/Medicaid plans than there have ever been so the reduce reimbursement rates make up a larger portion of their bills les. To compensate for this the hospitals have increased the prices to other insurance providers to make up for the lost revenue from Medicare patients. The amount the insurance pays is based on a contracted rate that the insurers and hospitals agree on. I don't know all the details but this is the basics of the watered down response I received.
Could be this. I know nothing about cardiac devices, but I Have a friend who had something removed and the surgery for removal was a big deal because of the way your body grows around any objects placed in your body.
I honestly give up trying to figure out surgical costs. Since 2007, I have had 4 hip replacements. 3 of those were between 2/11 and 11/12, at the same hospital, with the same surgeon, receiving the exact same device. Longest time in was 70 hours, shortest 46 hours.
My surgical bills ranged from $85k to $115k. Largest bill was when I was in the shortest time.