Laparoscopic cost at private hospital?

[Peggy2012]

Hello, I am in my late 30's, got a large fibroid causing heavy bleeding etc. and needs Laparoscopic recession op. before having family..I won'thave too much time for this now.

My insurance company is arguing for the coverage, mainly because they think I do this for fertility reason - which partially true as fibroid size as such will impact fertility. BUT, we weren't thinking family planning until I found out my fibroid! I am not infertility as such.

I now v stressed that I may have to pay for it myself - anyone knows how much this will cost?

Thanks a million!

Probably in the region of £2000 - £2300 depending where you are in the UK.

Has your gp been involved in this? Think mine usually makes the referral letter to the consultant but I have to contact the insurers for an authorisation code. They always ask whether the gp has recommended it.

Sounds a bit stringent on their part - if the fibroids are causing you inconvenience and pain that should be reason enough to operate. I guess if you were older the fertility question wouldn't enter into it, but your age makes for an easy get-out clause, I suppose.

I'd suggest seeing your gp and asking him to write to them - might charge you for it but that has to be better than coughing up for the op!

I had a laparsocopy done privately for endo reasons and it cost £2500.

Wow, got many quick responses - THANK YOU!

ShotgunNotDoingThePans, I changed my GP after been referred as the previous one didn't help until I did self private referral for an ultrasound - when the fibroid emerged. The new one is v good but he doesn't familiar with my fibroid case. Should I ask my consultant doc to write to them? Or GP is better?

SugaricePlumFairy, I am in London and been seen at Portland. Got any idea? I v asked the hospital re quote but they said its difficult as most of the docs are on hols. Anyone has any idea of the ball park figure?? Really hope I can afford it...:(

RightsaidFreud - you mind me to ask which hospital you were in? Also, how many nights stay? My consultant doc said I should be prepared for 3 nights...

I was in the Priory in Birmingham, was referred by my GP to a private consultant there, and luckily my insurance covered it, as it was nothing to do with fertility (not trying to conceive, but was causing me terrible symptoms). I was in for 1 night. Couldn't fault the staff and facilities there.

Heard excellent things about the Portland, if i could choose any hospital to have any future children in, it would be that one!

I would think whoever was willing to assist you to make your case.
Not sure if there's a particular protocol that should be followed - maybe ask your gp's opinion and see what he/she suggests is the best course.

RightsaidFreud, thanks and you r v lucky. I read an article saying AXA is renowned for been mean to treat younger ga patients by suspecting them having undercover fertility treatment i.e. endo or fibroid.

ShotgunNotDoingThePans: I take your suggestion and will ring my GP to see if he'd like to help. Also I've called my consultant's PA today. she was v nice, advised that my surgeon could ring AXA to argue for case - but he is on hols and won't be back until early Jan.

It's difficult to cost a private op unless they offer a 'package'

You will have to pay for the bed/room

You will have to pay the Surgeon or Gyne

You will have to pay theatre time - and this can be variable. EG when I worked in a private hospital if we were out of normal hours we were paid £35 call out for each patient and if a cse went over 2 hours we got an extra £35 per hour

You will have to pay for an anesthetist, the nurses and ODP are usually in the thetre price.

YOu need to pay for any drugs prescribed. This one you can cut down by asking your GP to prescribe painkillers before the OP so you go in with your own drugs.

Then you have to pay for any equipment used, not big equipment but the disposable stuff they use and this can vary a lot. If somoething drops on the floor it can't be used, but the cost is added on to your bill.

Unfortunately you don't have much barganing power, the insurance companies have. The hospital I worked at sent the full bill to either self funding patients or their insurance company.

Self funding patients all had to pay the full bill.

The insurance companies would often pay 80-90%, but because a private hospital cannot live without the insurance companies they just swallowed the cost (passed it on in other ways).

I know it is a waste if you have insurance but would you consider the NHS? Even just for a referal, so your GP can state it is not fertility treatment.

Then go back to the insurer's with that.

One thing to be aware of, and people don't normally think of this is that if there is a complication that means you have to be transferred to an NHS hospital you will have to pay for the NHS treatment.

Even if there is a complication and you are transferred to a ward for a day or two that will eat up money quickly.

Check what facilities the hospital has, some have ICU and HDU beds, others don't.

sashh, really appreciate for your advice. It looks like an awful alot of money to spend, I were hoping my budget c.£3000 could met it, but it seems unlikely now - a terrible news to us!

What I don't understand is if a complication happened and I was transferred to a NHS hospital, why do I need to pay for the treatment there? I thought NHS should be free?

I can go back to my GP for help, my surgeon did say he takes NHS patients as well - just I am not sure how long the waiting list is. At age of 37, I really don't have much tiime to waste :(

London private hospital lap op. cost ballpark figure:
Outpatient: 3500
With 1 night stay: 3900
3nights in-patient: 6000
All prices are excluding surgeon and anaesthetist fees and special medicine required post op.

Peggy what a huge amount to have to pay out for private surgery.

I had a Laparoscopy in Shropshire on the NHS after enquiring about going private and it was way too dear for us, my wait on the NHS for that surgery was about 8 weeks iirc and I was able to leave on the same day as I recovered so well from the anaesthetic.

I have since had a Hysterectomy and that was a four month wait.

SugaricePlumFairy, yes it is a looooot of £££, a lot more than I expected, in my case this would be well over £7k. So you were v lucky been in Shropshire, London is a nightmare.
Will NHS be an option in London? Why not? So I checked NHS waiting list for the same surgeon ? 4months!! wow, I can imagine the anxieties with those who have been in the queue and for those waiting for this life changing op.
I started insomnia again due to the stress, woke up alone in the middle of the night, feeling angry, grievance, panic, helpless. But I know I must be tough ? I will have my op down, I will have my child eventually (my husband and I badly want to have 2, but I knew it is unlikely now given my age and the undecided op and post op recovery time. Oh I forgot to say after this op., c-session upon pregnancy is mandatory to avoid womb rupturing).
I was running around trying to gather additional papers/past med reports from my previous doctors 18months ago, sadly no progress made - approaching Xmas, everything slows down. So I called my GP for help. He was v annoyed by my insurer?s attitude, said ?if a woman has fibroids that cause symptoms, they should be operated out, regardless if this woman wants to have children or not. ? He requested insurer to send over an GP request form to let him fill out and state his position ? this is the first time I knew such a form existing, as my insurer somehow has never offered this option. Will this GP form offer me extra power? Anyone wants to share your experience?
P.S. I decided to keep updating my case here, so others who are in the similar boat can share your feelings.

Never been in a similar boat but I'm not surprised your insurer hasn't offered you the option of your gp making a stronger case for you - his success will cost them money.

My insurers have always paid out, so I've never had to push for approval for a procedure or consultation.

But I would think your gp will have a good idea as to how best to proceed - and it sounds as if he's definitely on your side. He will no doubt have experience of this insurer and know the best way around their objections.
They do sound dodgy, though - outrageous that you're suffering and they won't honour your policy after taking the payments.