3rd Ablation Done

[perkman]

Well I am back home after my 3rd ablation on Friday. I was put under general anesthesia and I must say it was the easiest. My previous 2 were sedation and I woke up in both ablations during burns. With general anesthesia that didn't happen. I went to sleep and woke up in recovery.

My EP told me he was able to bring on the A flutter in my left atrium and flutter in my right as well. It seems there were gaps in my ablation from 3 months ago that he also fixed. He remains confident that he got it all and says 90% success rate. We'll see.

Good news on the spot on my lung that was picked up during CT scan due to tamponade during my last ablation. It is completely gone.

Pulmonologist says probably shadow or blood caused when lung was punctured installing pericardium drain.

I saw the bill for my 2nd ablation. The cost was $235,000. Totally insane price for something that almost ended my life and had to be corrected. No wonder we have such an insurance cost crisis in the U.S. Luckily my insurance covered it all. I do like the fact I didn't have to wait long to get a new procedure approved.

Well that's all to report for now. Just on the mend and taking it easy.

Best Wishes To All

[BobD Volunteer]

Good to hear and so glad we still have NHS here in England. Now rest and stay well hydrated.

[perkman in reply to BobD]

Thanks Bob

[pottypete1 in reply to BobD]

I echo that sentiment Bob.

Pete

[Aprilbday in reply to BobD]

Bob- just curious . You said “still”. Is their talk of eliminating NHS? That would be awful !

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Aprilbday]

Every day there will be talk in the press about NHS privatisation but I don't get involved in any of that politicing as that is all it really is. The "still" was not cryptic by any means.

[Kaz747]

Glad to hear all is well. You certainly have crazy medical prices in the US. The ablation cost in Australia is around A$25 - 30K (US$17-21K) thankfully fully covered by Medicare and private health insurance.

[perkman in reply to Kaz747]

It would have been less except for the cardiac tamponade and hospital stay. One coagulant drug they used was $40,000. It has become a large political point in next years elections. Many families can lose their entire life savings if they are under insured and have a health crisis.

[Kaz747 in reply to perkman]

And travel insurance for when we travel to the US is far more expensive than going anywhere else in the world. I haven’t been to America since I was diagnosed with AF so I hate to think what the extra cost will now be.

[Tapanac in reply to Kaz747]

I guess that would be going on a Caribbean cruise as well kaz do you think? I haven’t checked with insurance, but it’s been so long since we have been on a holiday and my husband fancies a cruise. Some of them, even P & O are cheaper than Europe.

[Kaz747 in reply to Tapanac]

Yes travel insurance in general will be more expensive now. You can’t afford to take out insurance and not declare it. I’ve always said, if we can’t afford the travel insurance, we can’t afford the trip.

[Tapanac in reply to Kaz747]

True kaz

[Leeson in reply to Kaz747]

Or costs nothing Kaz if you wait to have it on the public hospital system...

[Kaz747 in reply to Leeson]

I know but then you have to wait. I didn’t pay a cent going private (of course ai’m paying private health insurance but we can afford it and ai wouldn’t be without it).

[Leeson in reply to Kaz747]

This is one of the reasons we stay in it , even though with being retired it is a large bill every month, as you get older you rely on private hospital cover more.

[Kaz747 in reply to Leeson]

My health insurer has asked if I’ll do a testimonial for them. They have paid out a small fortune on me lately but that’s why you have insurance- just in case :). It doesn’t matter how cheap the premium is with insurance, what matters is what they pay out when you make a claim.

[sue13hils]

So glad you are ok keep resting and get strong

[perkman in reply to sue13hils]

Thanks sue13hils

[Hidden]

All sounds good perkman but makes me feel better about living in the U.K., even with all our current problems.....🥴

[AIW58]

Great news that you are safely home and they are happy with how it went. What a relief for you and your family.

We are so lucky in the UK that cost doesn't come into it, apart from availability of treatments and waiting times.

Stay well

Amanda

[perkman in reply to AIW58]

Thanks Amanda

[Tapanac]

Stay well and hope, it’s 100% successful this time

[perkman in reply to Tapanac]

Thanks Tapanac

[Supernerogirl]

Great news and hope your fully recovered soon 🙏

[perkman in reply to Supernerogirl]

Thanks Supernerogirl

[irene75359]

Delighted it all went well. $235,000. Wow.

[perkman in reply to irene75359]

Thanks Irene75359

[Rebma]

Great news. As you know, rest. Just has my second 3 months ago in US. My EP thinks a 3rd is needed🤪

[perkman in reply to Rebma]

Sorry you have to have another one. Best Wishes.

[coxcabin]

Is that actually what the insurance paid or the bill? Glad you're doing okay.

[perkman in reply to coxcabin]

Have to check on that to be sure but pretty sure they agreed to pay most if not all. I didn't pay any so they satisfied the hospital. The cost of ablation is agreed to before it is done.

[kbog in reply to perkman]

What usually happens in the US with major insurance companies is that they negotiate (ahead of time, for all patients and services, on a yearly or less frequent basis) what they will pay/accept as payment in full. It is usually a fraction of what is charged on the bill, and the remainder is written off. This is particularly true with PPOs (preferred provider organizations), where patients get this “deal” for using a hospital/doctor in the network. (If you go outside the network, you may be responsible for paying the difference between what the insurance company pays and what the hospital charges, even after all deductibles and coinsurance have been paid, so there is a strong incentive to stay in-network.)

This means prices are artificially inflated on the front end. The impact to people who are uninsured or underinsured must be catastrophic... The whole thing is a mess!

[perkman in reply to kbog]

That was my point. If you're not insured or underinsured you have no one to fight on your behalf. This has to change. It could easily financially bankrupt you.

[kbog in reply to perkman]

Yes, my explanation was provided for the benefit of those outside the US who don’t have the first-hand experience. I totally agree with you!!

[perkman]

I was in ICU for 1 day and regular hospital room 4 more days. Countless blood tests xray CT scans, drugs, pulmonologist, Petscan. It's not cheap but you're right way to much.

[Horse57]

Most of the bill is written off. Insurance never pays what the actual ill says.

[perkman in reply to Horse57]

That assumes someone has great insurance. What if you don't? It would most certainly wipe out most families. The cost in the US is way to high compared to the rest of the world. It needs to change. The cost to GDP is out of control and will eventually bankrupt our system.

That is the point I was making.

[Horse57]

Excellent news! May it endure forever!

[perkman]

Yes it is crazy.

[allserene]

Well done.. just got back from my colonoscopy 3 minutes ago and I can type ! They used propofol. Michael Jackson stuff. It was great and I moon-walked out of there. Told the anesthesiologist that my patch was a heart monitor for atrial flutter and he said he had been ablated for afib and felt great... Didn't get chance to chat before I went under..I had Cyberknife for prostate cancer 2 years ago and they billed the 5 one hour sessions at $225,000. I paid the $5k annual max on medicare advantage. This 71 years old stuff is no fun.... Multiple Sclerosis/Prostate Cancer/Atrial flutter and colonoscopy.... jeez Survived em all and feel great.... like Tony the Tiger

[perkman in reply to allserene]

Those golden years

[Hidden]

Our son is on Obamacare. His premium for a Silver Plan is $90.00 per month and he has no deductible. His max out of pocket is $2400. The only problem is that these plans are not usually nationwide. He is only covered in a 5 county region in Texas, so a vacation to anywhere out of the area requires him to purchase travel insurance.

[Hidden]

He called to ask if he would be covered on a Florida vacation. They said absolutely not. It would be out of network and there is zero reimbursement for out of network care. So, since he is still in his 30's he was able to buy an annual travel insurance plan for $225.00 that covers him anywhere in the US and abroad.

Medicare plans are different. My traditional Medicare is accepted anywhere in the US as long as they accept a Medicare assignment. My Plan G Supplement covers me 100% (after the Medicare deductible) in the US and picks up 80% of the charges out of the country. But, we still buy a travel insurance policy just for the air ambulance and the repatriation of remains.

[Spoiler]

Where did you get your ablation? I had cardiac tamponade on the first ablation only halfway through surgery, only did Left PVI and went back to finish 3 months later. Cleveland Clinic