8/12/13

NY Times Article on Implant Costs

​A recent New York Times article had some very interesting insight into healthcare tourism and the high costs associated with the US healthcare system, particularly implant costs.  

The article spotlights a man in America who receives a quote for a hip replacement. The implant costs $350 to manufacture in the US and $150 overseas.  He negotiated the wholesale rate of $13,000 for the implant ( it would have been much higher had the hospital billed their retail rate).  The hospital then wanted to charge another $65,000 for the room, with surgeon and anesthesia charges still extra. If all of these charges had occurred, the total surgery cost would have been more than $100,000.