Joining the Overseas ADR Club

[mmareef]

Originally Posted by JeffR

Don't feel too bad I don't think you would have found the U.S. surgeries outside your area to be cost competitive with Europe.

An indirect cost for me is the logistics of being so far away for two weeks. I have two young kids so leaving them is complicated. That made me hesitate for a while.

Originally Posted by JeffR

Part of the problem with the U.S. system is the ridiculous charges various providers make to each other. I had a discogram done through TBI for $3,000. Which was a lot but it wasn't killer. When I got invoiced the anesthesiologist tried to charge me $17,000 for 1/2 general anesthetic - when I called them up they said it was their standard rate (I won in the end BTW and only paid the $1,500 that I owed them). It's just crazy...

I didn't know how much of a hassle is to deal with medical billing and the negotiation aspects of health care. The experience feels similar to buying a car. I was oblivious to all this because, up until now, I would use insurance.

My insurance would actually cover a ProDisc if in network. I contacted Synthes patient assistance and they helped to look for doctors in my network. However, there was only one Doctor in my network and I wasn't comfortable with his experience level.

BTW,this month's Time magazine has a in depth article about the economics of our health care.

Pretty good read:
Inside ‘Bitter Pill’: Steven Brill Discusses His TIME Cover Story | TIME.com

[mmareef]

Originally Posted by Lillyth

March 18th is the day I requested out of the options Yolanda game me.

So you may be there during Semana Santa. It could be an interesting time to be in Barcelona.

[Lillyth]

Originally Posted by mmareef

So you may be there during Semana Santa. It could be an interesting time to be in Barcelona.

OMG. I had NO freaking idea! We will be there for the first five days of it. (It appears to start on my birthday - the 22nd - which is, incidentally, the day I get out of the hospital.)

No wonder Yolanda told me he did not perform surgeries on Easter week. I had to look it up. I had no clue this even went on.

YIKES!

Is there anything you can tell me about this celebration?

[Lillyth]

Originally Posted by mmareef

An indirect cost for me is the logistics of being so far away for two weeks. I have two young kids so leaving them is complicated. That made me hesitate for a while.
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Are you married, or do you have someone that can come with you? AKO Suits is family friendly, children under two are free, AND they have babysitting! (Extra, I'm sure).

From their website:

"FAMILIES

in our Premium Suite Hotels chain can enjoy your family getaway. All our suites are ideal for couples traveling with children. suites have triple, quadruple and even for families with 3 children. In our Apartment can find everything you need for your stay with children: • Cots and roll bar for children. • Spacious apartments with kitchen and microwave where you can prepare meals for their children preferred. • High chairs, mixers to prepare purees • irons, toasters, coffee makers ... • Movies and fairytales All this we may request free when you reserve. Optionally we also offer a babysitting service to take care of their children. at reception also advise you on the ideal for visits with children, and even we can facilitate Entries Tibidabo, Zoo, aquarium, water parks, Port Aventura, Museum of Science ... In the AKO Suites also can choose the cleaning schedule and the possibility of late check-in or late check-out (subject to availability). Suite Hotels you can enjoy your family getaway.
for couples traveling with children."

[newleaseonlife]

Originally Posted by jss

Yet another reason that many of us go to Europe for this surgery.

I was quoted close to $75K for my procedures here in the states. AIMIS quoted me 30,000 Euros (about $38,000)! It included meals and 5 star hotel stay for me and my husband too. I couldn't believe the price difference.

Also, we were going to bring our 8 year old daughter to Cyprus with us. It wasn't an issue with AIMIS at all. For schooling reasons, we decided to leave our daughter here with her grandparents. The patient director was disappointed not to get to meet her.

[Lillyth]

Originally Posted by newleaseonlife

I was quoted close to $75K for my procedures here in the states. AIMIS quoted me 30,000 Euros (about $38,000)! It included meals and 5 star hotel stay for me and my husband too. I couldn't believe the price difference.

Also, we were going to bring our 8 year old daughter to Cyprus with us. It wasn't an issue with AIMIS at all. For schooling reasons, we decided to leave our daughter here with her grandparents. The patient director was disappointed not to get to meet her.

When we were looking at AIMIS I was delighted to find out that they have activities for the kids at the hotel. Including archery! They have a whole are designed for kids! (And babysitters, that, I believe, are part of the package.) AND, when I asked Claire (FABULOUS woman, BTW, I am SO bummed that I don't get to meet her!) if BMX was popular over there (my son is a BMX'er) she even offered to find a BMX bike on the island for my son to use because she didn't expect us to bring his bike with us! It is the norm for BMX'ers all over the world to travel WITH their bikes, but she didn't know that, and I just thought she was so wonderful to offer to find one.

BTW, if anyone else is traveling with a child (or an adult) who is a BMX'er, Barcelona is the BMX capital of the world! My son is getting a BMX trip his friends over in the states only DREAM of. It is said if you can only travel to one city to BMX, you want that to be Barcelona.

I think on a whole Europe is far more friendly to families than the US.

[mmareef]

Originally Posted by Lillyth

OMG. I had NO freaking idea! We will be there for the first five days of it. (It appears to start on my birthday - the 22nd - which is, incidentally, the day I get out of the hospital.)

No wonder Yolanda told me he did not perform surgeries on Easter week. I had to look it up. I had no clue this even went on.

YIKES!

Is there anything you can tell me about this celebration?

I don't know Barcelona, but in many parts of the Spanish speaking world businesses close the Friday before and Monday after Easter. School's are typically out the whole week. A lot of people take vacation and travel during that time. So you may find touristic places and airports to be busier. Government services and businesses in general slow down during that time.

Yolanda mentioned that Dr Clavel was taking time off during Semana Santa.

[mmareef]

Originally Posted by Lillyth

Are you married, or do you have someone that can come with you? AKO Suits is family frienly

Yes, my wife is coming with me. My daughters are in school so we decided not to take them. My mother is coming from out of state to stay with them.

[Lillyth]

Originally Posted by mmareef

Yes, my wife is coming with me. My daughters are in school so we decided not to take them. My mother is coming from out of state to stay with them.

Oh good. I can't imagine it would be fun with small children. Although, now that I think about it, I'm not sure "fun" would apply at any rate.