In corresponding with Dr. Rolle, he had mentioned that the cost of his surgery is 12,000 Euros all-inclusive. However, we then later received an email from the hospital staff saying that it can cost up to 18,000 Euros depending on complications, etc.
I was just wondering if someone could post an itemized cost summary so we are not surprised by unexpected costs. Specifically, we need to know how much it will cost for my wife to stay with me. I had assumed that she could stay in my room post-ICU, but apparently doing that carries an additional cost of 45 Euros per day. Can anyone verify this? And give some pointers for costs savings?
Thanks very much.
Costs of Dr. Rolle's surgery
Re: Costs of Dr. Rolle's surgery
Josh,
the all inclusive cost for the surgery based on a max days of stay at the hospital, I do not remember how long it was, something like 15 (it is a very generous allowance as it is like 3 in US)? All people I know left the hospital earlier then that. If you need to stay longer I assume they are going to charge you additionally per a day. Repeated lung surgery is more expensive (does not apply to you now). The cost of stay is calculated for a shared room with 2 patients in it, if you want to stay alone in a private room or with your wife, it is more expensive - they recover the cost of the not being able to use the second bed in that room.
We always paid for Ivan to stay in a private room and for me to stay in an admin building top floor accommodation quarters (just a few rooms with the common kitchen with all dishes and fridge and stove there) located next to a surgical building so I could get a better sleep there and to use the kitchen. She will need to stay somewhere during the ICU time anyways as she can not stay at the surgical floor alone, only with the patient. It is probably even more expensive than staying in the room at the hospital with you (or the admin building rooms might be all taken?). But I am Ivan's mother and had to give him some room, half of the spouses stayed in a room with the patient.
There are actually very few variables in a cost of the surgery and it means very few saving opportunities -
surgery
flights+taxi
stay for the accompanying person (hospital room or attic)
food for the accompanying person
arrive directly to a hospital a day before of the surgery surpassing staying at the hotels days before, get her own food at the supermarket, negotiate keeping the room at the admin building living floor after you are discharged from the hospital for few days if Dr.Rolle says you need more time before you fly. Remember that you can get an assistance for the flights transfer at the Frankfurt airport if you ask about it on the check in counter in Dresden - they will meet you in an arrival area with an electrical car - the transfer there involves a lot of walking, just tell them that you had a surgery recently. Find out in advance what are the conditions if you need to change the return flight date, it is usually can be done at the Dresden airport (they accept credit cards for that). Have some cash on hands and have a 4 digit pin for the cash advances in your debit card. Interbank money transfer work well for the pre-payment (you need to do it before you get there) but I also find that simple cash payment is also very convenient as you are going to be in a very secure situation at all time - airport-taxi-hospital. Write the address and the name of the hospital on a piece of paper to show it to a taxi driver (or print it out from the hospital web-site in German).
May be someone else can add who's been there recently.
the all inclusive cost for the surgery based on a max days of stay at the hospital, I do not remember how long it was, something like 15 (it is a very generous allowance as it is like 3 in US)? All people I know left the hospital earlier then that. If you need to stay longer I assume they are going to charge you additionally per a day. Repeated lung surgery is more expensive (does not apply to you now). The cost of stay is calculated for a shared room with 2 patients in it, if you want to stay alone in a private room or with your wife, it is more expensive - they recover the cost of the not being able to use the second bed in that room.
We always paid for Ivan to stay in a private room and for me to stay in an admin building top floor accommodation quarters (just a few rooms with the common kitchen with all dishes and fridge and stove there) located next to a surgical building so I could get a better sleep there and to use the kitchen. She will need to stay somewhere during the ICU time anyways as she can not stay at the surgical floor alone, only with the patient. It is probably even more expensive than staying in the room at the hospital with you (or the admin building rooms might be all taken?). But I am Ivan's mother and had to give him some room, half of the spouses stayed in a room with the patient.
There are actually very few variables in a cost of the surgery and it means very few saving opportunities -
surgery
flights+taxi
stay for the accompanying person (hospital room or attic)
food for the accompanying person
arrive directly to a hospital a day before of the surgery surpassing staying at the hotels days before, get her own food at the supermarket, negotiate keeping the room at the admin building living floor after you are discharged from the hospital for few days if Dr.Rolle says you need more time before you fly. Remember that you can get an assistance for the flights transfer at the Frankfurt airport if you ask about it on the check in counter in Dresden - they will meet you in an arrival area with an electrical car - the transfer there involves a lot of walking, just tell them that you had a surgery recently. Find out in advance what are the conditions if you need to change the return flight date, it is usually can be done at the Dresden airport (they accept credit cards for that). Have some cash on hands and have a 4 digit pin for the cash advances in your debit card. Interbank money transfer work well for the pre-payment (you need to do it before you get there) but I also find that simple cash payment is also very convenient as you are going to be in a very secure situation at all time - airport-taxi-hospital. Write the address and the name of the hospital on a piece of paper to show it to a taxi driver (or print it out from the hospital web-site in German).
May be someone else can add who's been there recently.
Olga
Re: Costs of Dr. Rolle's surgery
We ended up paying about $250 in addition to the down payment of 12,000 Euros when all was said and done. My wife stayed in my room except for the time in the ICU. We brought our own disc with a week-old CT scan, so they didn't have to do one before my surgery. I'm not sure, would that have cost extra had they done it in Coswig?
Re: Costs of Dr. Rolle's surgery
I am almost sure that the cost would be the same as the surgery is billed per case not per items - they have codes for the initial laser assisted surgery, repeated surgery, complicated surgery etc. with the list of the items included per case. I do not know if the pre-surgery CT is included but I would imagine that it would be as they usually do all the pre-op functional testing and it is included, girls from the accounting department would be able to answer that. Is Conni Meissner still there? Did you get the final invoice? It is tax deductible - at least in Canada.
On the other hand, if you had a CT a week before, it would be good not to have another one so soon to avoid excessive radiation.
On the other hand, if you had a CT a week before, it would be good not to have another one so soon to avoid excessive radiation.
Olga
Re: Costs of Dr. Rolle's surgery
Janine Hendel was the one we talked to about finances.
I wonder if the VATS biopsy that I had done here in the states will affect the cost of this surgery on my other lung? I am hoping not, we are already stressing about payment as is
But if this helps, then it is worth it!
I wonder if the VATS biopsy that I had done here in the states will affect the cost of this surgery on my other lung? I am hoping not, we are already stressing about payment as is
But if this helps, then it is worth it!
Re: Costs of Dr. Rolle's surgery
I am pretty sure that the VATS biopsy will not be considered as a previous surgery that complicates the next one, the biopsy is a fairly low invasive procedure that should not create adhesion.
Olga