[Sircus]

#1018519

While discussing treatment options with my endocrinologist, I mentioned that I wished to pursue a thyroidectomy. Bluntly, her response was, “They’re not going to perform a thyroidectomy for someone like you…with Graves’ disease!”

Her demeanor was a stark reminder that as a low-income veteran there are limits to the health care I may receive for free through the Veterans Administration.

I found a recent abstract online that indicated that the a thyroidectomy was the more economical option when compared to RAI if the cost can be kept below $19,500. Can anyone share with me their cost for a thyroidectomy?

Thanks.

-Sircus

[Bobbi]

#1065422

One of the more frustrating parts of our current health care system is that it is very difficult to find out the actual cost of procedures before the fact. It takes serious research. There’s no way an online source for you is available, at least that I know of. You would need to directly call the billing offices of your available hospitals and check. And call surgeons and ask for their charges. Ditto anesthesiologist. This is at least in part due to the fact that it depends on where you live, how expensive a procedure is going to be. There are HUGE differences based on geography.

Moreover, I cannot believe that RAI costs would be anywhere near the cost of a thyroidectomy. It involves swallowing a pill. Period. There is, typically, an uptake and scan test first, which may be pricey — I don’t know. The pill itself may be pricey. But there is no surgery room involved; no anesthesia; no recovery room, no surgeon costs, no anesthesiologist costs, no overnight stay in a hospital, etc. But if you should find out, in your research, that it does cost the same, please let us know.

[snelsen]

#1065423

It is almost impossible to know charges for anything until you get your bills and insurance coverage. Even when I get a lab draw in a clinic, there are charges that make no sense to me. For instance, "observation."

Bobbi’s answer pretty much says it all. I know from personal experience that that charges vary a lot depending on the geographic area of the US. I never know what anything is going to cost until I get my insurance statement or a bill from the hospital.
Your endo doc probably is not the best reference, and she probably does not know, unless she hangs out with surgeons in the coffee room with surgeons, or has learned it from patients. It is even conceivable that a doc gets a kickback if referring for RAI. Not a nice thought, but it is conceivable and can happen.

I am having a really tough time getting past her demeaning comment, but perhaps you are stuck with her.
Until I retired last year, I worked in a recovery room at a university hospital. I can tell you from my recent work life, that the anesthesiologists have no idea what their charges are for individual cases.
Can you tell her that you want a referral to a surgeon (who does this surgery on a regular basis!!) If you cannot gather that information, that is a worry, I think. It is a relatively safe surgery for surgeons who are known for this surgery.

I am beginning to think that the best resource for you might be this board, for people who have had recent experiences with charges for both procedures. But geography, plus the VA are definitely variables. Of course, so is insurance coverage, when you are talking @ out of pocket costs. I am assuming you are a vet, and the VA is your medical provider.

I really am not sure if RAI is really less cost than the surgery. I will TRY to extract this information from former co-workers who might know, but I really doubt it.

Having said all this, as most posts here reflect, you should make a list of pros and cons, with your on preference being #1 on both lists. I wish you well, hope you get your treatment done pretty soon. Keep looking at this board, it is what has kept me sane as I march through Graves’ and thyroid eye disease. The facilitators are great.

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