Uninsured but Undaunted, a Surgical Patient Searched the Globe for a Deal
When surgery became unavoidable, a man with no insurance shopped around for the best price for a hernia repair — and saved thousands by traveling out of state.
Ronmel Rangel, a 63-year-old man without health insurance, embarked on a globe-trotting quest to find affordable hernia surgery after experiencing persistent lower abdominal pain. Living in the U.S. and lacking insurance coverage, Rangel opted for a less expensive concierge medical plan, which still couldn't cover the high costs of surgery.
After consulting with his primary care physician, Ben Hagopian, Rangel researched prices across various hospitals and surgical centers, ultimately discovering a more affordable option in an outpatient surgery center in Maryland. The total cost for his open hernia repair, including the surgeon's fee and anesthesia, amounted to $2,900.
Despite the additional travel expenses of around $1,800, Rangel opted for this option, as he believed it was more financially viable than the alternatives he had explored, such as a surgical center in Oklahoma or even a hospital in Santiago, Chile. Health care spending experts noted that uninsured patients often face significant price disparities due to the higher overhead costs of hospitals and the lack of standardized payment rates in the private sector.
Ultimately, Rangel resolved to undergo the hernia repair in Maryland, fulfilling his desire to find an acceptable price without burdening himself with long-term debt.
Written by urgent.news from KFF Health News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.