Fortunately, insurance companies and government programs cover a portion of the expenses for patients. But for those without health insurance, the stress is even greater, making the rising cost of health care a big concern for everyone involved.

With cost considerations for the pre-operation assessments,  hospital admission, the procedure, post-operation care and follow-up appointments, medical procedures are by no means easy on the wallet.

Take a look at this list of the expensive medical procedures to see just how much health care can costs.

The 10 Most Expensive Medical Procedures

1. Intestine Transplant: $1,206,000

Intestinal transplants are done to replace dead tissue with healthy tissue from a donor and are sometimes combined with a liver transplant, making it one of the most expensive surgical procedures out there. Nearly $800,000 of this total cost goes toward hospital administration and admissions fees, while another $150,000 are used up in the days following the surgery and while the patient is in recovery.

2. Heart-Lung Transplant: $1,148,400

This rare and complex procedure replaces both vital organs during one surgery. The bulk of this cost, almost $800,000, is attributed to hospital admissions and procedures. The 180 days post-surgery makes up the next most expensive part of this procedure, accounting for nearly $170,000.

3. Heart Transplant: $997,700

A heart transplant is a high-risk surgery that takes a patient about 6 months to reach full recovery. Just below the $1 million mark, this surgery takes a lot of preparation to ensure a healthy and best-match donor organ, as well as extensive recovery and follow-up procedures to ensure the patient’s prolonged health.

4. Bone Marrow Transplant: $676,800 Allogeneic; $300,400 for Autologous

Depending on the type of bone marrow transplant required, surgery may or may not need to be performed. In most cases, stem cells are delivered into the bloodstream through a tube called a central venous catheter, in the same fashion as a blood transfusion. Expenses stack up when considering donor research and harvesting fees, testing, level of  insurance coverage, and more.

5. Lung Transplant: $797,200 for double, $561,200 for single

The process required for a lung transplant is often a long one. Long donor wait times, complex testing, the surgical procedure, as well as a long recovery time make for extended stays in hospitals, helping to increase the costs of this procedure.

6. Liver Transplant: $577,100

This is a very high-risk surgery and the criteria for eligibility is very strict. This lends to the high cost through extensive administrative and record expenses, along with the costs accrued for the surgery itself and the necessary hospital stay and recovery time afterward.

7. Open Heart Surgery: $324,000

Open heart surgery is often an urgent procedure that carries with it a lot of complications and follow-up appointments. Taking the surgery and its recovery period into consideration, the expenses for open heart surgery are very high.

8. Pancreas Transplant: $289,400

A transplant of the pancreas is a very long procedure and patients average a post-surgery stay in the hospital of about 21 days. As a result of the long stay, the physician charges and the possibility for a combined pancreas-kidney transplant, the totals for this surgery are one of the highest.

9. Kidney Transplant: $262,900

Expenses for this transplant procedure rack up quickly due to its intense preparation, high risk and extensive recovery period. Depending on the length of stay, expenses can pile up to nearly a quarter of a million dollars or more.

10. Tracheostomy: $205,000

While a tracheostomy itself is not inherently expensive, it is often associated with costly and extended hospital stays. Most patients who require this procedure are seriously ill individuals. They have extended stays within intensive care units post-operation, marking a significant rise in charges for this surgery.

http://financialedge.investopedia.com

http://www.transplantliving.org

Related posts:

1. Controversy: Docs argue active alcoholics should be on transplant lists A group of doctors is advocating allowing alcoholics to get...
2. Historic transplant operation saves child’s life An historic six-organ transplant saved the life of a mortally...
3. EHRs lead docs to request more expensive tests One of the big benefits of electronic health records is...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

For those who can afford it, privately paid, virtually made-to-order medical care isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. But it’s out of reach of most people: Membership fees alone to get access to a concierge practice can start at $1,500. With additional services such as round-the-clock access to doctors, house calls, overseas care, top-of-the-line equipment (at the practice and in the patient’s home if treating chronic illness) can easily bring the cost to $30,000 or more per year.

All of it out of pocket.

Expensive as it is, its growing quickly, as those with the means to pay for it say it’s worth the cost to know that they have quick and easy access to the best medical care possible. And some admit to enjoying the feeling of exclusivity. Patients at a concierge practice don’t have to worry about long ER waits for less-urgent problems or trying to hound an office for test results.

That exclusivity does create other problems though. Because of the intense level of time and attention provided to these patients, doctors in concierge practices by necessity have to limit the number of patients they can take on — hence the steep fees. But we’re already in the grips of a physician shortage — one that shows no sign of improving any time soon.

When concierge practices limit the number of patients they can see, less deep-pocketed patients have to scramble to be seen by already busy doctors in more accessible practices.

Do you think concierge care benefits those who can afford it at the expense of everyone else? Or is it just a basic market response to a need for more personalized attention? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Related posts:

1. Feds drop plan to ‘snoop’ on docs The Obama administration has scrapped plans to unleash so-called mystery...
2. Did alternative medicine doom Steve Jobs? After the death of the tech legend from a cancer...
3. Dentists less likely to see Medicaid patients in an emergency A recent study found that even dentists enrolled as providers...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

HCA, one of the largest for-profit hospital chains, has adopted such a policy. The outcome? More than 80,000 ER “patients” left the hospitals without being treated. How many left because of a lack of funds or from the realization that the visit wasn’t worth the $150 charge is impossible to say.

But HCA hospitals aren’t the only ones requiring cash before patients get treated. Fees can run as high as $350 a pop for the uninsured at some hospitals. And while it’s hard to argue that emergency medical care can’t be more efficient in general, not everyone agrees that this is a good way to handle patients.

Some ER docs and patient advocates say it hurts some patients, with little benefit to the hospitals. For example, patients with less serious illnesses are usually processed relatively quickly and without expensive tests or taking up needed beds.

What it does do is scare off the most indigent of the uninsured, who may have little other recourse for basic medical care. (Non-urgent patients with insurance would only have to pay their usual co-pay and whatever fees are associated with the treatment they eventually get.) Without timely treatment, uninsured patients may well end up back in the emergency department — this time with the type of urgent illness that allows them to bypass the “admission” fee.

Is it just plain good business to charge up-front fees for non-urgent care? Or is it just one more example of how the health system allows some people to fall through the cracks? Sound off in the comments.

Related posts:

1. What puts an ER at risk of closing? A recent study in the Annals of Emergency Medicine found...
2. Hospital’s nursing shortage turns deadly Under-staffing isn’t just a management problem and a hassle for...
3. How much security do hospitals really need? In the wake of a series of violent incidents, hospitals...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Ani Chopourian, a physician’s assistant, worked at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, California for about two years, until she was fired in 2008. Chopourian was part of the cardiac surgery unit.

She claimed in her suit that over the years she had filed numerous complaints with human resources regarding a variety of problems, such as a lack of breaks for the PA staff and a demeaning atmosphere for female staffers in general. Chopourian said she was singled out with derisive comments made about her ethnic background, and was repeatedly grabbed — sometimes in front of supervisors who laughed when she asked them for help. Among her claims, Chopourian said one surgeon in particular would greet her daily by slapping her butt and telling her, “I’m horny.”

Chopourian was eventually fired after the hospital said she failed to show up for work one day, and claimed she had been a problematic employee for some time. (Chopourian says she was on call that day, but never notified she was needed at the hospital.)

After the firing, Chopourian filed her suit against the hospital, claiming it created a hostile work environment and fired her to shut her up. Since then, she’s been unable to find other work.

Mercy Hospital management claimed during the trial that the only person who acted unprofessionally at Mercy was Chopourian — but the jurors didn’t buy it. She was awarded a whopping $168 million in damages — the largest finding ever for a single employee in a sexual harassment case. The jury awarded nearly $43 million for lost wages and mental anguish, and another $125 in punitive damages.

The hospital says it’ll appeal the judgment.

Related posts:

1. Dead patient’s family sued for $9.2M hospital stay A woman’s estate has been sued for a likely record-setting...
2. Doc wins $7.6M in discrimination case A pathologist was awarded $7.6 million from a federal jury...
3. Woman arrested in patient data/identity theft case U.S. Postal Inspectors arrested a woman accused of stealing data...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Here is a  list of the 25 Highest Paying Medical Careers:

25. Registered Nurse – $65,000

RNs perform frequent patient evaluations, including monitoring and tracking vital signs, performing procedures such as IV placement, phlebotomy, and administering medications. Registered nurses are also the primary contact between patients and their doctors.

24. Orthotist/Prosthetist – $67,000

These related areas often work hand-in-hand. Prosthetists specialize in designing and making artificial limbs, while Orthotists specialize in designing and fitting orthopedic braces and corrective shoes.

23. Audiologist – $68,000

Audiologists work with people who have hearing, balance, and other related ear problems by using technology and computers to provide essential hearing services and devices like hearing aids.

22. Speech Language Pathologist -$68,000

These health professionals work with people who have a variety of speech-related disorders, including the inability to produce certain sounds, speech rhythm and fluency problems, and voice disorders. They also help people who want to modify accents or who have swallowing difficulties.

21.  Occupational Therapist – $73,000

These therapists help a patient carry out daily activities of self-maintenance, productivity, leisure and rest, and  perform a major role in helping the people who suffer from conditions such as mentally, physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabling.

20. Physical Therapist – $75,000

Physical therapists help patients recover after injuries caused from sports accidents, health problems or diseases, and other injuries to help regain mobility and restore their physical health.

19. Physician’s Assistant – $84,000

A PA works alongside a senior healthcare specialist to provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive medical services, as well as recording and analyzing the progress of a patient along with giving counseling and suggesting when therapy is necessary.

18. Optometrist – $103,000

These medical professionals examine patients’ eyes to diagnose vision problems and eye diseases, as well as testing patients’ visual acuity, depth and color perception, and their ability to focus and coordinate the eyes.

17. Pharmacist – $106,000

Pharmacists are responsible for administering and dispensing prescribed drugs to patients.They must also provide information to the patient about the medicines that they have to take, along with the proper way and the right schedule with which the drug has to be taken.

16. Cardiopulmonary Perfusionist – $110,000

Cardiac perfusionists set up and operate heart-lung machines, which take over the functions of a patient’s heart and lungs during heart surgery. These specialists are present during the surgery and regulate the flow of blood through the body, control body temperature, as well as administer any necessary drugs throughout the procedure.

15. Chiropractor – $126,000

Chriopractors diagnose and treat patients with health problems in the body’s muscular, nervous, and skeletal systems, especially the spine. Chiropractors provide natural, nonsurgical health treatments without medication and rely on the body’s inherent recuperative abilities.

14. Dentist – $133,000

Dentists diagnose, prevent, and treat problems with the teeth or mouth. In addition to removing decay, filling cavities, examining x-rays, and repairing fractured teeth, they also perform corrective surgery on gums and supporting bones to treat gum diseases.

13. Pediatrician – $167,000

Pediatricians provide care for young patients from birth to early adulthood. Most of their practice revolves around tracking growth patterns, assessing overall health, as well as treating common ailments and injuries and providing immunizations.

12. Psychiatrists – $168,000

Psychiatrists are the primary caregivers in the area of mental health, as the assess and treat mental issues through assessment of behavioral patterns and past experiences for individuals, couples, or groups of people.

11. General Practitioner – $175,000

These doctors diagnose and treat a wide variety of diseases, injuries, and medical abnormalities. Most commonly referred to as “family doctors”, general practitioners can administer and prescribe medications for treatment for patients in a range of ages.

10. Podiatrist – $181,000

These doctors diagnose and treat disorders, diseases, and injuries of the foot and lower leg, like bunions, heel spurs, and arch problems, ankle and foot injuries, and other abnormalities affecting this area of the body.

9. Internist – $183,000

General internists diagnose and provide non-surgical treatment for diseases and injuries of internal organ systems. Like general practitioners, Internists are considered primary care specialists and provide care mainly for adults who have a wide range of problems associated with the internal organs, such as the kidneys, liver, stomach, and digestive tract.

8. Endocrinologist – $188,000

Endocrinologists are physicians who specialize in the function of glands that produce and release hormones into the bloodstream. Most endocrine disorders are chronic diseases that require life-long care, so these specialists must be thoroughly trained in understanding, treating and managing these problems.

7. Orthodontist – $200,000

This specialization of dentistry focuses on correcting and managing improper bites, misaligned teeth, and disproportionate jaw relationships that require corrective work such as braces, pallet splitters, and jaw realignment.

6. Oral Surgeons – $250,000

Oral maxillofacial surgeons are dental specialists who treat conditions, defects, injuries, and esthetic aspects of the mouth, teeth, jaws, and face. In addition to the regular course of medical and dental studies, they are also required to complete four years in a hospital surgical residency program.

5. Obstetrician/Gynecologist – $252,000

OB/GYNs specialize in the female reproductive system. They also monitor patients during prenatal, natal and postnatal periods, perform tests and prescribe medication and treatment. They may also deliver babies, determining the method most appropriate to ensure health and safety of both infant and mother, and perform surgeries on the reproductive organs.

4. Anesthesiologist – $300,000

These doctors administer local, intravenous, or spinal anesthetics, record the type and amount of anesthesia given to a patient, and determine condition of patients before, during, and after sedation to ensure safety throughout a surgical procedure.

3. Cardiologist – $310,000

These doctors specialize in the cardiovascular system and use technologies like EKGs to monitor abnormalities in the heart, as well as perform surgeries to help treat life-threatening ailments.

2. Radiologist – $406,000

These physicians examine and diagnose disorders and diseases of the human body, like tumors, growths, or other abnormalities, using internal imaging technologies like x-ray and radioactive materials.

1. Neuro surgeon – $473,000

Neuro surgeons examine, diagnose, and perform surgery to treat disorders of the brain, spine, spinal cord, and nerves. Due to the extremely delicate nature of the work, neuro surgery is a specialized field that requires intensive training and experience, and as such, it tops our list as the highest paying medical career.

-Median salary calculations from Salary.com

Related posts:

1. The 10 Highest Paid Executives in Healthcare Healthcare is a booming industry — which is good news...
2. Cops called on patient for paying doc with pennies Pro tip: Doctors are stressed enough about their reimbursements. Adding...
3. Survey results: Compensation levels for medical directors The 2011 Medical Director Survey provides the latest data on...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Research from Equilar and the GMI Pay Survey reveals the highest-earning executives in the world in industries from technology to manufacturing, showing that these professionals pull in some serious earnings throughout the course of one year. But here on HealthExecNews, we’re only concerned about the executives on who have established themselves in the healthcare industry – so we’ve dug through the research and found the health executives whose yearly earnings were worth noting. Based on calculations of base salaries, cash bonuses, stocks and options, this list shows that it pays to be at the top of the industry, especially when it comes to healthcare.

Here are The 10 Highest Earning Executives in Healthcare:

10. Michael B. McCallister – Humana

McCallister has a long list of credentials in his career with Humana, which started in 1974, including the management of integrated hospital operations and health systems management throughout several states and divisions within the U.S. He has held the position of CEO since 2000 and was elected Chairman in 2010.
Total 2010 compensation $6,147,917

9. Mark T. Bertolini – Aetna

Mr. Bertolini held executive level positions for companies like NYLCare Health Plans and SelectCare Inc., and Cigna before joining Aetna, where he is now the Chairman, CEO, and President.
Total 2010 compensation: $8,776,962

8. Stephen J. Hemsley – UnitedHealth Group

Stephen J. Hemsley joined UnitedHealth Group as its Executive Vice President in 1997 and has since risen up in the ranks to hold numerous executive-level positions, including his current title of CEO and Executive Director since 2006.
Total 2010 compensation $10,810,131

7. Angela F. Braly – WellPoint

Ms. Braly has played a key role in managing legal strategy, government relations, corporate strategy, and communications since the 1990’s and has been recognized as one of the Most Influential Women in Business. She has held her current position of Chairman, CEO, and President of WellPoint, Inc since 2007.
Total 2010 compensation $13,449,840

6. Allen F. Wise – Coventry Health Care

Wise has held a number of executive and leadership positions in healthcare since the early 1990’s, for companies like Keystone Health Plan, Wise Health System, United Health Group, MetraHealth Companies, and currently holds the title of President and CEO of Coventry Health Care.
Total 2010 compensation $13,647,413

5. David M. Cordani – Cigna

In addition to being a Chartered Financial Advisor and  Certified Public Accountant, Cordani has held a number of different leadership positions within CIGNA since 1999, and now holds the position of CEO, President, and Director of the Executive Committee.
Total 2010 compensation $15,121,370

4. David B. Snow Jr. – MedCo Health Solutions

David B. Snow held a number of executive-level positions in some of the best healthcare companies like AmeriChoice, Oxford Health Plans, and Empire Health Choice HMO before coming Chairman of the Board of MedCo Health Solutions in 2003.
Total 2010 compensation $16,364,236

3. Richard T. Clark – Merck Co.

Clark joined Merck back in 1972 as a quality control inspector and rose through the ranks to become Chairman of the Board in 2009. Since then, he has been pulling in big profits as the head of one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies.
Total 2010 compensation $17,910,411

2. Joel F. Gemunder – Omnicare

Former CEO and President of Omnicare, Gemunder remains on the list because he has earned serious profits as one of the leading healthcare executives in the world. Though retired from Omnicare, he remains as the Director of the Compensation Committee for UltraTech, Inc.
Total 2010 compensation $98,283,242

1. John Hammergren – McKesson

Widely known as one of the most powerful people in healthcare, Hammergren  has been in the industry since the 1980’s and with McKesson since 1996. Since that time, he has risen in the ranks to hold his current position of Chairman, CEO and President.
Total 2010 compensation $145,266,971

Biographical Information Source: Bloomberg Businessweek

Related posts:

1. Integrated Healthcare Strategies IHStrategies provides consulting services to healthcare including physician strategy; physician,...
2. Medicare wants back $38M it paid to emergency departments Oops! Medicare says it wrongly paid more then $38 million...
3. Survey results: Compensation levels for medical directors The 2011 Medical Director Survey provides the latest data on...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Orthopedic surgeons, plastic surgeons and neurosurgeons are the specialists whose bills are most likely to generate surprises for their patients. In fact, 50% of mega-bills insurers receive from out-of-network doctors come from one of those three types of doctors.

Those are the findings of a new report by the New York Department of Financial Services. According to the report, too many patients are left holding the bag for surprisingly large bills because of how little coverage insurers offer for services provided by out-of-network doctors.

The report also looked at more than 2,000 consumer complaints regarding large bills for non-emergency, pre-approved treatments. Because medical providers don’t have to disclose whether or not they’re in-network before they provide the treatment, patients may not understand that they could be facing much larger out-of-pocket costs. For example, in one of the complaints a patient went to an in-network hospital for routine gallbladder surgery with an in-network surgeon. But the anesthesiologist was out-of-network, which left the patient on the hook for an unexpected $1,800 bill.

Related posts:

1. Medical liability premiums down for most docs Very few costs are decreasing these days, but here’s a...
2. Guess the procedure cost, win a prize! In news that will come as a surprise to no...
3. Walgreens to start selling health insurance The nationwide drugstore chain is considering entering the insurance market,...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

The Standard & Poor’s Economic Healthcare Indices for the year ending December 2011 were just released. They show costs of health care rising a bit faster than they had been previously. For the 12-month period ended December 2011, the average per capita cost of healthcare services covered by commercial insurance and Medicare programs increased by 5.28% in 2011 — a sharp increase from the Nov. 2011 rate of 4.85%. For commercial insurance plans alone, healthcare costs increased by 7.11%.

Several sub-indices tracked by the S&P, such as the Professional Services Medicare Index, the Hospital Medicare Index, the Professional Services Commercial Index and the Hospital Commercial Index were also up from their positions in November.

Related posts:

1. Medicare costs slowing — but still growing While health care costs continue to rise, across the board...
2. Health care costs pushing more into poverty levels The fast-rising cost of even basic health care is straining...
3. AMA study: Most cities lack competitive insurance markets Most people live in areas without a competitive market for...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

It’s not official yet, but the House and Senate have reached a compromise agreement. The bill is expected to be voted on before President’s Day.

A nearly 28% cut to physicians’ Medicare payments was scheduled to take effect March 1. Under the proposed plan, physicians will get a 0% “payment update,” essentially leaving them at the same payment level. It’s good news, although certainly most doctors would have preferred even a slight increase in payments.

Of course, Congress now has to make up that money somewhere. So the proposal includes other cuts such as:

• inpatient acute care hospitals will see Medicare bad debt payments reduced to 65% beginning in 2013
• critical access hospitals will see  payments reduced to 65% over the next three years
• a reduction in Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital payments in 2021.

What the proposal doesn’t change are payments for evaluation and management services provided in hospital outpatient departments or rules regarding physician self-referral.

Related posts:

1. Is this hospital too unsafe to receive Medicare payments? A Tennessee hospital stands to lose Medicare funding if it...
2. Medicare wants back $38M it paid to emergency departments Oops! Medicare says it wrongly paid more then $38 million...
3. Company accused of wasting drugs to bilk Medicare A major health care company has been accused of deliberately...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

LaRay Brown, a senior vice president for New York City’s Health and Hospitals Corporation, estimates there are 300 patients currently residing in the city’s public hospitals who are either well enough to be discharged or would benefit more from specialized care, the New York Times reports.

Reason: Under state law, public hospitals cannot discharge patients without proper housing.

Each of these patients, many of whom are illegal immigrants, cost hospitals about $100,000 per year. Thing is, many would be better off in other types of facilities, such as nursing homes, which would cost just $20,000, Brown says. While Medicaid often covers emergency care for elderly patients or illegal immigrants, it won’t cover continued care, so the hospitals and taxpayers are footing the bill.

And finding a solution is challenging. One option involves hospitals covering the cost to admit these patients to nursing homes or specialized care facilities. However, these facilities are reluctant to take patients without medical insurance for fear of missing out on reimbursements, hospital executives say.

Other issues: Hospitals don’t want to appear callous by trying to get rid of these patients, and elected officials are wary of trying to get federal programs to reimburse hospitals for their care for fear of being seen as encouraging illegal immigration, according to the New York Times story.

Related posts:

1. New pill design could keep generics out of reach longer Something as simple as adding a score mark to a...
2. How much security do hospitals really need? In the wake of a series of violent incidents, hospitals...
3. 5 top ways hospitals are cutting costs Reducing health care costs is going to take a multi-prong...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.