How Much Would A Cardiology Review Cost Without Insurance?

[persephone]

Typical. TheONLY specialty not covered on my health plan is cardiology.

If I end up in the ER, they see my pulse is off, and they want a cardiology review, it means I will have to pay it all myself.

How much could something like this cost? I have no clue.

In the UK, to pay for a private cardiology consultation would be $250-300. BUT I could have to see a cardiologist in an emergency situation, during an inpatient stay, etc etc.

Can anyone give me somee rough idea of costs. Are we talking colossal- as in, you would be bankrupted? Or are we talking may comparablewith UK cost of a private consultation?

MAN this health insurance stuff is confusing.

Starting to realise how lucky we are in the UK. I've had some pretty awful experiences, but at least I never had to worry about paying for them, or qualifying to have them covered!

[cnm1]

Hi

Rachel's mom here - since both you and Rachel will soon have the same health plan - it is a concern ( but if you need a chiropracter - no problem 8 visit/yr). If a cardiologist is in network, it may not be too bad. The last visit with Bev (Grubbs office) would been 75 (no tests). Now they charged much more - but since they are in network the charges get adjusted to a contracted amount. Now a trip the ER - can get very expensive fast $1000plus - I have to stare at the insurance policy more.

I willbe spending Thurs calling to verifiy more issues around this. I did try to contact the head physician for MD referral but no one has called back. It is a very confusing system in the USA, especially from someone from a country with Universal health care. I am hoping to shame them into having a cardiologist available over the next year - geez.

FYI both Persephone and my daughter are moving to Cambridge , MA for the same graduate school (different fields though). The insurance for grad students is not bery good with a 5000/yr precription cap that my daughter will fly through. Only 3 visits allowed to "not in house" specialities - NO CARDIOLOGIST!!!!!

Louise

was TheONLY specialty not covered on my health plan is cardiology.

If I end up in the ER, they see my pulse is off, and they want a cardiology review, it means I will have to pay it all myself.

How much could something like this cost? I have no clue.

In the UK, to pay for a private cardiology consultation would be $250-300. BUT I could have to see a cardiologist in an emergency situation, during an inpatient stay, etc etc.

Can anyone give me somee rough idea of costs. Are we talking colossal- as in, you would be bankrupted? Or are we talking may comparablewith UK cost of a private consultation?

MAN this health insurance stuff is confusing.

Starting to realise how lucky we are in the UK. I've had some pretty awful experiences, but at least I never had to worry about paying for them, or qualifying to have them covered!

[persephone]

I you find anything out, PLEASE let me know.

[Angelika_23]

I can't answer your question, Persephone, but wanted to clarify a bit.

If you have to go to the hospital, will the trip be covered EXCEPT for the cardiology consult? Like, your room and board etc? Because that will make a big difference. A hospital stay is quite expensive, but if they pay all of it except the cardiologist then that is more affordable.

I know my office visits are less than $100 to see my cardiologist in his office, but I have no clue what it costs if he visits me in the hospital.

Thanks,

Angela

[Noreen]

So sorry for how you were treated.

Just a thought but perhaps you could check out Mass Limited insurance. I think it is set up for non-nationals already here but maybe you could squeak through on disability issue. essentially given your condition, you would end up disabled here due to the risk of syncope. Maybe the student rep office could give you some help.

I hope something works out for you

[Sophia3]

An ER visit plus tests done immediately could easily be thousands of dollars. Hard to guess depending. Stepping foot in ER is $250 and any test or venipunctures or IVs add up. I did NOT go into the ER but an "outpatient" surgery, even tho I spent the night but was in LESS than 24 hours, was $16,000 for a hysterectomy. That was the hospital bill. Did not include doctor bill or the anesthesiologist or pathologist. Those were billed separately. This was three years ago.

I asked for and got a detailed bill breaking down everything. It's free & there were duplicate charges and charges for pills NEVER given to me at $10.00 per pill

The paper sheets to cover you in a surgery? $600 a piece. 6 were used during my surgery. My IV bags were $200 each! saline! THAT's how outrageous mark up in cost is. And that was normal hospital setting. Not sure how much more things might cost in ER area. Those are like two different worlds!

I realize this is not the same as a cardiology work up. THAT's not surgery, but ER trip EASY $1000 would be my hunch. Especially in that part of the country where things are more expensive.

[flop]

I would call the hospital closest to your campus and directly ask how much a cardiology consult would be a) in the ER as an outpatient and c) as an inpatient. They should have a billing department or similar that could give you rough numbers.

Can you get additional insurance on top of the grad policy?

Flop

[Lizzegrl]

Surgical bills are generally higher than a typical hospitalization. I just paid my bill (co-pay) for a 3-day inpatient stay with ER visit, in a non-monitored bed - $9600. This included pretty much everything. A cardiac admit has been typically 1/3 higher in the past. If a surgical suite is used, tack on 3-5 grand, then aenesthsia is close to another 1000 - doctor fees alone, not drugs!

Why is cardiac excluded in this plan? Just curious - is it for everyone or just as a pre-existing condition?

[yogini]

Are you sure that cardiology is not covered in the hospital? I could see how it would not be covered (or require a referral) for an in office visit but I would be surprised if it were not included in the hospital. As for office visits, you may be able to get coverage by finding an autonomic neurologist or other type of doc that treats POTS. A hospital bill could easily be 5 figures per day but if there is a remote chance of needing hospital care, get supplemental insurance. There should be an office at your school which can help you figure out your insurance options. Good luck

[masumeh]

in the US, I saw a specialist listed on DINET, who is a cardiologist, to assess for POTS. I don't have medical insurance. Every visit cost $350, and the diagnosis requires a series of about four visits. Every year, I follow up twice, costing me $350 each time. The doctor conducts ECG, stress test, tilt table test there in his office, and those tests are all included in the flat $350 fee, whether I do any of the above tests plus consultation or consultation alone.

I also traveled to another state to see an autonomic specialist/researcher neurologist at a university hospital. Again, no insurance. That trip cost me about $2,000, about $1,200 of which was the doctor/hospital fee. They did no imagery or electronic testing, only blood pressure and grip testing. It would have cost me up to $8,000, if I had not already done my EEG with video test and had mailed him the CD in advance of the appointment. My EEG w/video was conducted in the Middle East for $500. All these number are USD.

So I spent several thousand in all. But honestly, it was worth every penny and more. With the advice, treatment, and guidance I received, I was abe to go to work....which I wasn't well enough to do before. So even monetarily, I got my money back in a single year. Of course, even if I didn't work, it would have been worth it because I FEEL so much better.

Good luck finding someone in Britain. I would recommend asking all the questions you need to over the phone. They should be able to give you rates for every test, consultation, etc. if you get the right person on the phone with you.

[Noreen]

When I saw this NY Times article I thought of you.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/14/health/p...ance&st=cse

Not a lot to offer there but they do list one site which brokers insurance.

Given that your case is unusual, and therefore of educational value to physicians in training, I am wondering if your doc could reach out to docs at Harvard Medical to ensure continuity of care. You have the workups showing any structural problems with your heart - those are really the big ticket items which the student policy is probably trying not to pay for.

My cardiologist hasn't been all that helpful.