Y’all…
There are 1.2 zillion variables which can account for confusing price differences among institutions. Here are some of them:
1. Domestic device prices vs. International prices (they are substantially different)
2. Domestic surgical prices vs. International prices (they are substantially different)
3. International currency exchange rates
4. How inclusive the pricing is; e.g. cost of the surgeon’s services, cost of the OR team (nurses, vascular surgeon, anesthesiologist), disposables, the cost of the hospital’s services
5. The billing codes that were used.
These account for most of the differences in pricing. As patients become vocal (both pre and post-op) and competition increases, it appears that providers are actually improving their price transparency. But are costs coming down?! Time will tell.
Here’s another perspective. I’ll have my seventh pain-free anniversary in June with my Charite’ at L5-S1. If that device lasts a lifetime, it’s worth every penny. And then some.