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I am going to have a disc removed from my low back (L4-L5) with a new operation called microdiscectomy. As I only have major medical coverage with a large deductible, I'm wondering what kind of costs I can expect with this type of surgery. The surgeon says I'll be in and out quickly, so I'm hoping that means it won't be too expensive.
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Most people are surprised when they hear the average costs incurred by even the simplest of surgeries. According to a study at Johns Hopkins Medical School, a well-known institution in Baltimore, Maryland, the cost of conservative care to help prevent surgery averages out at around $4700 per patient. That's for a single-level lumbar disc herniation treated without surgery.
If you calculate the cost of removing one disc surgically, then we're talking about $5,000. That's the surgeon's fee for a minimally invasive procedure such as you describe. Since most patients go through at least six weeks (up to three months) of conservative care, the surgical cost must be added to the conservative care costs bringing the total to around $10,000.
In reality, with all the other costs of hospitalization, anesthesia, operating room, and post-operative care, the average bill comes to about $42,500.00. But sometimes patients end up with severe pain from spine degeneration at the site of the disc removal. Then they need further surgery with a possible spinal fusion. That can be a cool half-million dollars per patient.
Substantial health care costs aren't the norm for single-level discectomy but this Johns Hopkins patient and cost analysis shows it happens in about nine per cent of the cases at their institution. Most patients who have a microdiscectomy procedure for a herniated disc have a very successful outcome and no further treatment is needed. For those who develop back pain later, conservative care seems to clear up any problems. But in a small number of patients, significant health care costs are incurred when additional surgery is needed.
Before going any further, you might want to get a rough estimate of proposed costs, fees, and charges from the surgeon, anesthesiologist, and hospital. Ask what your chances are for a good recovery and what your risks are for complications that could add additional fees. You may have to work out a billing plan that works for you before scheduling this procedure.
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