Did u have to pay?

[carrielulu]

Did u have to pay for your cranio surgery?

If so how much and where did u have it done?

[Jenny]

thats a big question.. it all depends on if you have insurance...the hospital fees for mikalya was over $100,000 alone, but we only paid $250.. Never saw a bill for the surgeons.. We also had childrens special healthcare insurance, which was offered to us through the hospital, so they picked up a lot of the charges too. We didn't have to pay for that. Her surgery was done at children's in detroit.

[Rhonda O]

Our insurance covered most of the surgery. Since Zachary was born in the same calendar year as his surgery, we hit our maximum out of pocket that year (about $4,000). If our insurance had not payed, his surgery would have cost over $50,000.

Zachary had his surgery at Doernbecher's children's hospital in Portland, OR.

[jenniferann75]

Well, we did have insurance BUT the company went bankrupt before paying for everything. They have paid for a lot of the "little" bills but they haven't touched the hospital one. It is for $35,000. They actually denied covering it at this point. We're still fighting. All in all though the total surgery cost about $50.000.

[Tawnia]

No. We live in Canada so our provincial healthcare covered everything but the food we ate ;o)

[Candice]

Kendall's bill was around $55,000, and we paid only $700. (But that doesn't include plane tickets, gas money, etc. (I flew, DH drove) We are so lucky to have a good insurance company we didn't have to fight!! We had her surgery done at The Children's Hospital-Colorado.

[three.little.boys]

We are expected to pay about $3,750 (our out of pocket maximum for out-of-network) but I have been told there may be $3,000-6,000 extra we may have to cover due to what is deemed "reasonable and custom" from our insurance's standopoint.

Thant said- if we would have gone with the doo-doo head surgeon here in KC (NOT dr. signhal!) we would have maxed out ay $1,250!! (It would have been in-network for us!)

[Candice]

I should add that we would have had to pay up to $2000.00 if we already hadn't met our max out of pocket, Kendall had a traumatic birth (cord wrapped around her neck, meconium aspiration that led to a collapsed lung) and had to be in the NICU for a few days, in addition to all of our appointments and such before the surgery, plus my hubby and I had some med probs last year as well. EEECK! I think it all depends on your ins. company and your specific plan.

[three.little.boys]

Candice, that is good that you had met your max for the year. we had, too, because of Q's birth and the 4 day hospital stay for meningitis in 2007...but then New Years Eve hit and ALL of our deductables and max-out-of pockets rolled back to $0...so we have to pay all over again! : (

[Christina's_Mommy]

I hope ours isn't too bad. We worked out an in-network exception for all of Christina's doctors. Dr. Fearon included thankfully. I know that the co-pay would have been 6K for Dr. Fearon (out-of-network) and 9K for Dr Swift. Medicaid will pick up Dr. Swift though.

[babylaura]

No because it comes on the NHS in the UK! This is not necessarily a good thing, I sometimes think I would rather pay and be able to choose!

[Alison]

surgery was free for my parents, the only cost to them was food and accomodation. The hospital even payed our airfares as we had to fly from Darwin to Adelaide for my first operation, and from other parts of Queensland when we moved. Though they had to pay for accomodation, it was discounted.
Ive had surgeries at Adelaide childrens hospital, Brisbane Mater childrens hospital, and Townsville General hopital.

[Tawnia]

I have a friend that grew up in Brisbane :o)

(which wouldn't seem so strange except I am in BC, Canada)

[4myboys]

We ended up with over 30,000 to pay after insurance. Yes we have excellent insurance :( However we applied for financial assistance with the hospital and even though my dh makes a decent wage they gave us a 75% reduction for the surgery and the whole next year of care. They actually denied us at first and then out of the blue they sent a letter saying the reassed and we qualified as we are considered underinsured. They were willing to take $10 a month and they kept telling me to apply for assistance but I didn't because we never qualify for anything - I am so glad I finally did. I would recommend everyone asking about any assistance avaiable at the hospital.

[MelSydney]

The only thing we had to pay for were the private consultations to the NS and PS (our choice).

Everything else (except my food while staying on the ward) was covered by Australia's Medicare system.. The op was at Westmead Children's Hospital in Sydney.

Mel

[seth's mommy]

Hi

In the uk we do not have to pay for medical treatment, well exception of dental work.

This is an amazing service and although our doctors and nurses are pushed to the limit they do a fantastic job.

The NHS is invaluable.

We do obviously have private hospitals that we pay for and they are more like hotels than hospitals but the treatment in my opinion is no better than the NHS.

Becky x

[KALEMSMOM]

We didn't have to pay anything either as our health system covers all medical costs with a few exceptions that didn't pertain to his surgery and I got to choose the Dr of my choice. Our family physician referred us to CHEO and I wanted to go to Sick Kids in Toronto, so they sent us without hesitation. I also have supplementary health, dental and eye coverage through work that doesn't cost me anything, it's 100% paid by my employer.

OUCH some of you have to pay some large bills there.

[beccad]

Wow, I think the U.S.A. needs to take note and follow Canada and Britain for health care. Our insurance companies here rob us blind and find every reason in the book to not cover or drop you for some reason. My husband works for a small company that doesn't provide family insurance. So me and my kids are stuck either paying for private insurance which is really expensive or using the state insurance which is for the really poor. We make too much money to qualify for that. My state, TN, just passed a new insurance bill that is based on household income and my kids are on that but I have no insurance right now. They would only cover me if I were pregnant. Isn't that something? I hate insurance companies.

Becca

Becca

[three.little.boys]

Now that the bills are rolling in, I think we will be paying between $8-$15,000 out of pocket. This was out choice, however, since we went out of network. But, we were blessed with the option to do so since we had money saved up in an "emergency fund"

[AllyCat]

No because it comes on the NHS in the UK! This is not necessarily a good thing, I sometimes think I would rather pay and be able to choose!

The "choice" in the US is an illusion for most, even with insurance. And they can just deny coverage at their discretion, with little recourse left to the "insured".

The system in your country is, to me, enviable. No one should be without medical care in a just and civil society. Grass is always greener I guess!

Sorry about the rant...I'm not good at hiding my politics on this issue!

Did you have to pick a certain doctor or hospital for your care/surgery?

[Candice]

The system in your country is, to me, enviable. No one should be without medical care in a just and civil society. Grass is always greener I guess! Sorry about the rant...I'm not good at hiding my politics on this issue!

AMEN SISTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel blessed that DH and I both have jobs that offer pretty reasonable plans. I used to be on BCBS(Blue Cross) but switched to my husbands right after Kendall's birth....Thank God for that...I have a feeling I would be fighting BCBS tooth & nail on this one. It scares me to think of what would of happened if we didn't have insurance, as we wouldn't qualify for Medicaid. My big thing was when the Prez vetoed the CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Plan) bill...that's great, let's deny children health care...IT'S INGENIOUS!! :crazyThen we can have more money to pay for the AWESOME war, and tax breaks for the rich...who, if their child where to become ill, have the $$$ to be able to pay for treatment....AGHGHGHGHAHAHGH Okay...rant over.:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

[Jacksmum3]

Did you have to pick a certain doctor or hospital for your care/surgery?[/quote]

In the Uk we have four Supra Regional centres across Great Britain, we have a choice of the four we go to, but better to use the closest obviously. These centres have a large Governing body that controls what Doctors and specialists are used. And the hospitals are already payed for the service at the beginning odf the financial year, so there is no cost for referal either to the the smaller hospitals across the uk that don't specialise in this field.

When you get your first appointment you will find everyone in the room that is needed, a bit scary to see about 10-15 people in the room, but there for a good reason. There is no running around the hospital, or having different appointments. Even the Genetasist is there. The genetic testing, (they do full screening) is free.

After surgery the children will be seen after 3 months for Post-op then every year after that until your child reaches 18 and is fully grown.

The accomadation is free, the child recieves free food and drink, medicines are free for children. And when you are pregnant your own presciption medicine is free and up until the child is 1yr old. Something to do with having healthy mother you have a healthy child IYKWIM.

Before having Jack I did say a few times I wish we had private medical insurance, but since having him all I can say is I am glad me have the NHS.
Theres no way we would be able to even afford to pay insurance on our wages let alone actually having to pay for the operation and the medical assistance Jack has needed over the past 4 years.

Goodluck to all those who have to fight for there right to get there insurance companies to pay for surgery. I know how hard it is to get them to cop up for damage to a car.
xxxx

[Candice]

Annmarie, I love your new avatar piccy!!! Jack is such a handsome little guy!!!! :adore

[Jacksmum3]

Aww thankyou, this was taken on his 4th Birthday. Growing up way too fast.

[Springy]

Hey Girlies! We had to pay .52 cents of Libbys total surgery so far. Her surgery was $70,000. The only reason we got off easy was because we had met the out of pocket max with United Health Care.

[Candice]

Yeah....KEEP BRAGGIN' SPRING!!!!!! J/K hon, that is SO AWESOME. So what was the $0.52 for?? Did your insurance find a dose of Tylenol "unnecessary"?? :wink

[clare]

We are very lucky in the uk. Grace is seen at 3 different hospitals in 2 different areas in the uk and thankfully its all nhs treatment. I also found out if we went private on her heart op we might have ended up with the same docs anyway. A lot of people moan about the uk's nhs system but i cant fault it. It has saved my life once and i have great faith it will save my daughters.
I have to say i never really thought about how much the operations cost but its really made me have a think.

Clare x x x

[AllyCat]

Yeah....KEEP BRAGGIN' SPRING!!!!!! J/K hon, that is SO AWESOME. So what was the $0.52 for?? Did your insurance find a dose of Tylenol "unnecessary"?? :wink

A 52 cent dose of Tylenol? In the hospital? That's funny! I think. I took 3 doses of ibuprofen after Rohan's birth and one dose of a stool softener. I had no other medications of any kind. I even declined the shot of pitocin after delivery per the midwife's counsel. My bill for those 4 little pills was $86!!

Since I belong to a kick-butt union, my insurance is pretty good and paid all but $250 of my total bill (which was over $9K with a midwife and NO interventions). Why do the pills cost so much? Because those of us with insurance are paying for those who don't have any.

How on earth we can continue to believe that having for-profit health care is good for Americans is beyond me. And not one of the three remaining candidates for Prez has offered any plan that is more than insurance in some incarnation or another.

Why? Just like you said...we're paying for that all important war. :banghead

[Springy]

Yeah....KEEP BRAGGIN' SPRING!!!!!! J/K hon, that is SO AWESOME. So what was the $0.52 for?? Did your insurance find a dose of Tylenol "unnecessary"?? :wink

I think they might of had to clip her big toe nail in surgery or something!! :rofl

[Candice]

Spring, they must have considered the toenail clipping as "cosmetic", and then denied coverage. :rofl

[entropy1980]

So we just got the great news We will only be paying our $250 deductible. My company is picking up the 20% we thought we were going to have to cover. Yeah talk about relief for about 3 weeks there I was trying to find out if I could auction a kidney. seriously... I mean 20% of say 80-100K ouch!

[Jenny]

lol, you guys make me laugh.. spring, you have UHC? We have it, and it SUCKS, no offense, lol.. Trust me, meeting the oop max is not fun trip, that's 4 grand out of my pocket, and something like 10 grand for the family. so to have to have .52 cents to pay, really actually sounds like that sucks. We are trying to get medicaid right now though, since we qualify.. just waiting to get the acceptance letter.. but while kayla had her surgery 5 years ago, we had childrens special healthcare, which covered anything beyond the primary insurance, so we didnt have to pay.