“How Much Do Heart Valve Replacements Cost?” Asks Mike

I had a Ross, and I was under the *impression* the aortic valve replacement cost about $15,000 to $20,000. To offset that, I sold the hospital my pulmonary and got about $7,500 for that, and then parted out my old aortic valve and got about $75 for that.

I had to have the aortic valve redone about a year later, sigh. Not fun. Anyway, I found a guy in a van near the stadium and bought a gently owned certified aortic valve for about $1250 — and it was my size too!

Jerry,

I think you should start a new website for patients that buy and sell heart valves. Does that “guy in the van near the stadium” have any more deals?

Thanks for the laugh.

🙂

Adam

Maybe, now that you mention it he was wearing hospital scrubs!

The first billing round for the aortic valve replacement was about $75,000 on the statements. The two insurers finally settled between themselves for about $17,000 total cost, including a 5-day hospital stay.

We won’t talk about what they billed Medicare … that’s a national issue.

Hi all,

When I first read this question, I thought Mike was asking how much the heart valve replacement procedure would cost. If that is the case, I can share that my hospital bill for my aortic valve and aortic root replacement was about $144,000.00. The surgeons fee and other anciallary services (radiology, cardiopulmonary, etc) brought the total bill up to about $178,000.00. The angiogram was another $9,000.00 plus. Fortunately, I had good insurance ($3500 decuctable) so overall, I have to say it was well worth the money. Of course if I didn’t have the surgery and passed on in a few years, I would have to pay less taxes and not have to deal with more years of this country’s politics! 🙂

I had an aortic valve replacement, cardiac cath, etc., at Duke in May, 2010. The total hospital bill was just shy of $100,000. The cost of the valve–St Jude mechanical–was $9,360. The OR was around $18,000. As you can see, there is wide variety.

I can’t believe these prices, 3 months ago I had re-op with St Jude aortic valve and aortic root replacement and the cost all up, came to US$39,000, and that was with, arguably, the best surgeon in the Country. The country is New Zealand where all this Valve stuff was pioneered.
I see a replacement for warfarin -Diabigatran- has been approved by the FDA last week, when will it be used for Mechanical valve replacements, no more blood tests Yeah! and eat what you like,even better

Graeme

Hi,
I would like to know the breakdown of cost:
1) replacement valve (by different sections)
2) surgeon cost
3) ancillary hospital cost
thanks

In the UK we are very lucky. My op will be free of all charges and be performed by some of the finest surgeons in the world.

My son had a valve replacement, we are from Canada our medicare system took care of it, but I am amazed how much the procedure would cost had we not had this system.

My husband needs his aortic valve replaced within the next year. We are working on how much to designate to our 2011 flexible spending account for our part of the surgery. Thus far it’s been a real pain in the neck to get the numbers from the surgeon’s office. The actual inpatient hospital stay is not an issue, we have a $250 deductible and the rest is covered. We need to know an approximation of what the surgeon’s fee will be because we will have a 15% out-of-pocket for that. We live in Indiana if that helps any . . . anyone have an idea? Anything will be better than what I’m getting from the surgeon’s billing office. Thanks!

This board is really informative. I am trying to get this procedure done for someone who is willing to pay cash. I am trying to find out how much the insurance companies paid for these services . Would any of you have those numbers ? That would be really helpful

Jaycee: My husband had his aortic valve replaced with a mechanic valve January 18, 2011. The hospital invoice alone was $102,600 before the insurance negotiation. After the negotiation, the invoice was $84,600. The surgeon invoice before negotiation was $5,400 and after negotiation $2,900 (there was an assistant surgeon but I can’t find the invoice at this time). The anesthesiologist and assistant were $5,600 before negotiation and $3,220 after. We live in the midwest–don’t know how much difference it makes on where you live. I hope this information is helpful.

Thanks Joyce that was very helpful. Was your husband’s procedure done at a highly rated institute live Cleveland or Mayo ? Also was this cost only for Valve replacement or was there a bypass surgery as well ? How many days of hospital stay did this include ? I hope you don’t mind the questions . Thanks too everyone who has contributed to making this board so useful

I had an aortic root replacement with valve preservation and one bypass last Saturday in the Royal Brompton Hospital in London. My insurance dealt with the hospital directly. Two days ICU and two days HDU followed by two nights in a private room all covered by BUPA. I received the same world class treatment as the free NHS patients except for different food and a private room. Truly excellent service.
I’m home now and am curious as to the actual cost in the UK and elsewhere. Any info I get I’ll post

my 11 year old son will be having a valve replaced and his aortic root replaced, we are living in ireland and are having the op done in london private , does any1 know what the cost would be ?

Debra, I had my op at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London on 10 July 2011. Mr Mario Petrou was the surgeon and I can’t recommend him or the hospital too highly. I was diagnosed 9 years ago and had varying opinions both in various London hospitals and in the US as to the need for surgery. What eventually convinced me was that the risk of having the surgery was now lower than the risk of not having it and that Mr Petrou thought he could spare my heart valve, which he did.
Ring the hospital and talk to Mr Petrou’s secretary Susan and I’m sure she’ll be as helpful to you as she was to us.
My final decision was based advice from many doctors that a NHS hospital was the best for serious surgery and on my perception of the quality of the treatment and the hospital rather than cost. It would have been thus even if I was paying myself. I could have gone to any private hospital but chose the Brompton which is the National Heart Hospital with the greatest concentration of expertise in Europe. It is a National Health Service hospital with a private ward so I would suspect it would be cheaper than some of the fancier London hospitals. Best wishes to you and your son.

I need to know Valve replacement in S.Africa and India.

I had my replacement in 2003 in Colorado and from what we remember – the total cost was around $156.00, the valve cost was around $14,000 and our out of pocket was around $6,000.

When I am in a quiet place I can still hear the ticking of my valve. I hope this is helpful.

Just got a porcine aortic valve and the line item price on the hospital bill for the vavle is $22,204.