RE: Re: WSJ story today

[Guest guest]

Hi Pam & Sheila

As I mentioned in my yesterday’s post in reply to Susie, a chap, wrote about

his resurf in India by an OS who, as I seem to recall, had trained and practiced

in Birmingham, UK. If I’m not mistaken there were 2 chaps who posted about

resurfacing in India – one was an Indian gentleman who had it done there and

one was an Englishman who quoted the ridiculously cheap price of £2,500.00 (or

thereabouts, if I’m not mistaken). That’s how I created a mental price list

where the cost of resurfacing one hip was:

Currency India Belgium UK

USA OZ Canada

US $ 4,375 5,250 – 7,600 13,000

– 21,000 15,000 – 40,000

GB £ 2,500 3,000 – 4,350 7,500

– 12,000 8,500 – 22,850

EU € 4,750 4,500 – 6,500

11,250 – 18,000 12,750 – 34,250

AU $

CA $

For the purpose of simplicity I used the following exchange rates (no mater how

precise these may currently be): GB£1 = US$1.75; GB£1 = EU €1.5

The price variances presumably reflect the OS’s skills, proficiency and

experience; hospital’s rank; variances in device costs; variable extras (in

Belgium and in the UK the price is often inclusive of 3-day stay at a local 3-4

star hotel or better and/or a number of days stay at the hospital and/or a

number of days of physiotherapy). I do not think that the above prices are

inclusive of air fares and other transfer costs.

As you can see, I have not collected prices/data for Australia and Canada and

have not done the respective conversions either. Maybe somebody can fill in the

gaps and/or provide more facts so that a more complete and accurate matrix can

be established. Then it could be saved as a file and referred to when newcomers

to this site ask questions about costs and locations.

It is interesting how the patterns in health provision costs adhere to the

West-East trend closely – the further East you move the lower the cost

generally (without a deterioration in quality; in fact, often with an increase

in quality). We have the same pattern in Europe where British patients are now

flying low cost (budget airlines that get you there and back for about £40.00

per person) to Hungary where they get first class dental treatment for less 50%

of the equivalent treatment in the UK. The Italians have been patronising

Croatian dental surgeries for more than 10 years now. I had my MRI scan done in

Trieste, Italy, for 20% of the cost in the UK (£120.00 in Italy v. £560.00 in

the UK), and the return flight cost me just over £25.00 including taxes. I

suppose we used to move to a neighbouring country 20 years ago if there was a

significant difference in prices of goods – now, with cheap flights and with

internet surfing we are shopping around internationally for services such as

health, training etc.

Regards

Dan

* +44 (0)7974 981-407

* +44 (0)20 8501-2573

@ dan.milosevic@...

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From: saf5201

Sent: 27 April 2004 18:17

To: surfacehippy

Subject: Re: WSJ story today

Hi, Pam -

The former commercial fisherman named in the story was

named Terry Salo, and he did (could it be?!) come from !

And the sum quoted is identical: $4,500 U.S. less air fare to and

from Madras.

I know that De Smet is the cheapest in Europe, and I know a ton

of Indian surgeons have been doing BHRs for the last decade,

but I am curious to hear if anyone on the list has tried this India

option and how it worked out for them.

Is your dinner guest a member of this list? It would be great to

have his input here!

Best,

Sheila

> > Did anyone see p.1 of the Wall Street Journal today? I bet you

> > dollars to rupees the " partial hip replacement " that the 54

year

> > old Canadian flew to India to obtain so as to avoid the

Canadian

> > waiting list was a BHR.

> > I was frosted that the writer didn't delve into the specifics of

the

> > guy's operation, but was gobsmacked by the price quoted for

the

> > surgery: $4,500. Now THAT'S cheap!!

> > Has anyone on the list had experience getting a BHR through

> > these Apollo Hospitals in India? And if so, were you happy

with

> > your surgery and outcome?

> > Sheila

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