Your Artificial Disc Replacement & "General" Spine Questions Answered Here!

[Justin]

Are there any cost comparisons of ADR or other spine treatments? Total cost and cost with insurance?

The main "catch" right now with artificial disc replacement (specifically lumbar) is that insurance companies are not covering multilevel replacement unless you are in a Clinical Trial. Some insurance companies don't cover artificial disc replacement at all (United Healthcare comes to mind). However, cervical artificial disc replacement is more commonly covered.

Thus, many Spine Patients travel overseas for treatment. Single-level procedures typically run close to $30k.

Stateside, many surgeons are cutting patients a "cash price" for artificial disc replacement (leaving the insurance company out of the equation altogether). I've seen prices range from $20k to $80k (for a single level + any facility & anesthesia fees, etc.).

Spinal fusion is covered (for the most part) by insurance companies. Of course, the patient would be responsible to meet any deductibles and any other out of pocket expenses based on one's individual policy coverage.

[thumoeides]

I just had my surgery scheduled for May 6. The hospital tells me the surgery without insurance would cost $33, 353.59.

My surgery is a single level artificial disc replacement at C6/C7 with the Prestige artificial disc.

[sandy]

justin, i am glad i found this site it may be very helpful. It was 2010 i went and got 3 doctors consults, i had cervical c4 c5 c5 c6 bulges, i was told by 2 doctors fusion c4 c5 i asked what about c5c6 no c4 c5 my problem mylopathy, 3rd doctor says i will give you a choice fusion or adr c4 c5, i said what is adr , artificial disc, ok what about the the c5c6 bulge below doctor said no c4 c5 is problem and will do this for me, so me in pain said ok, surgery august 2010, i have been in chronic pain since my surgery, keep telling the doctor he said ok well lets check the thoracic t4 t5 area huh what about c5 c6 bulge, we did not get anywere, i consulted a new doctor the old one not helping me, the new doctor looks over my mri he says they have found with adrs there has been some that fuse and some are causing cysts , he never metioned an allergy to metal , the doctor did say i had tear in c5 c6 annular tear that he thinks was my problem causeing radiculopathy, he suggested leaving the c4 c5 adr and fuseing the c5 c6 i never heard of this, or we could take out c4 c5 and fuse c4 c5 c6 , he wants me to have disco gram c5 c6 c7, I want to make sure he was the right doctor for me so i went and consulted on more doctor opinion orth doctor , ortho doctor agrees about c5 c6 and found that i have possible allergy to the metal adr, put some metal devices on inner arms and i broke out said yes possible allergy, i asked for an order to get the metal allergy blood test, he said no the blood not accurate, I said well then how do we know for sure. he replied i had one other patient he went in did surgery found the inflammation all around took device out, so to me he said he had to go in and do surgery to find inflammation, i think i would like a blood test to be sure with skin test before anyone cuts me to look for inflammation, so i asked my primary and pain doctor , no one will give me order, before i have any surgery to remove adr or c5 c6 and fuse, i want an allergy to metal test to any metals i may have an allegy . what is your thought on this to how i can get a doctor to write me an order for metal allergy, is the blood accurate for some and not others will it help , i want to know and im paying for it. How many people had adr and now have strange allergys that they dont know why, my neck should get so red at times and burns so bad i want to pull the skin off, i get swallowing problems, i get strangling tightness so bad i can not hardly breath, i break out in 100s tiny blisters primary had no idea just gave me cortisone, i notice these doctors do not communicate to each other or talk back and forth, its their way or the highway.

[KanRunMo]

I'm sure you have heard from Katie who had metal allergies and found out before she had back surgery so that her surgery did not involve metal. The blood test for metal allergies certainly makes sense even though you have to pay for it yourself. You would then feel confident to do what needs to be done. The place to send for the blood test is on this site.

[Katie]

What interesting timing....there was a news story on the radio while I was coming home tonight, regarding artificial joint patients in the US suffering from metal 'poisoning' in their blood as the joints deteriorate over time. Something about not enough legislation through the FDA regarding safety measures to prevent this.

They were talking about normal wear and tear and metal ions/molecules showing up in the blood and causing problems, not the sensitivities/allergies that Sandy and I have experienced. Thankfully mine were superficial from jewellery that gave me the idea that metals inside would not be a good idea. Not everyone is as lucky. And yes, Sandy and I have been talking at length.

I can't help but think about how many patients are suffering even more with the sensitivities, not just the results of wear and tear, and how do we make this more of an issue. Unfortunately Sandy is running up against doctors who think this is voodoo, that the testing I had was unreliable. I was very happy to rely on it, seeing that there isn't anything else better that they can offer.

I have to run right now because of a severe thunder storm...have to turn off the computers, but will come back to this very important issue tomorrow.

Take care all. Let's put our heads together to find a way to make this better known to the surgical patients out there.