Dialysis in USA for travellers

[dizzypt]

Hi all

Can anyone help me? 

I live in Wales, England and want to visit some friends in Oaklahoma later this year.  I am having trouble finding out how much it will cost for my treatment over there.  Unfortunately there is no system of exchange of treatment between England and USA so I will have to pay for my Hemo.

I would be grateful if anyone could suggest who to contact to find out the price!

Many thanks


Edited: Fixed subject line error - okarol/admin

[iketchum]

I Googled oklahoma dialysis and got a list of cities that have centers. I would contact one closest to your friends and see what the cost is.

[dizzypt]

I Googled oklahoma dialysis and got a list of cities that have centers. I would contact one closest to your friends and see what the cost is.

I have tried Thanks though I will take a look emails but never got a reply, they seem to want to keep it secret!

[Pam]

I dialize at a Fresnius clinic in Michigan. I've never seen an acual bill, but I know they charge my Ins. $346 just to sit in the chair.
Pam

[Harvey Wells]

I don't know if this guy can help you or not but he lives in OK and he works with dialysis clinics and may be able to direct you to a center near where you want. (I sent his email in a pm)

I think everything is negotiable and if I was paying out of pocket with my cash, I'd try and keep it under $300 per treatment.  That's probably more than they get on the average for each patient each treatment.  I think Medicare composite rate now is probably between $170-230 per treatment.  You'll probably have physician fees and hopefully you won't need any additional medications but they would be extra too.

[dizzypt]

I don't know if this guy can help you or not but he lives in OK and he works with dialysis clinics and may be able to direct you to a center near where you want. (I sent his email in a pm)

I think everything is negotiable and if I was paying out of pocket with my cash, I'd try and keep it under $300 per treatment.  That's probably more than they get on the average for each patient each treatment.  I think Medicare composite rate now is probably between $170-230 per treatment.  You'll probably have physician fees and hopefully you won't need any additional medications but they would be extra too.

Thank you for your replies everyone.  It would make the cost of a holiday so much more, I think that I will put it on hold until I win the lottery! 

[Harvey Wells]

That's too bad, people shouldn't be denied their desire to travel because they're on dialysis.  Just curious, do you know what your center or provider gets reimbursed for your treatments?  I guess they feel if you go on holiday, they get a holiday from paying for your care, same here in the good ol' USA, why not just allow the same amount they'd pay where you live when you travel.  I can somewhat understand them not wanting to pay more but they should be willing to pay the same.  I guess our 'payers' don't want us having too much fun - we wouldn't want people wanting to go on dialysis when they see the rich and glamorous lifestyle we enjoy   

[Malibu]

Im curious to find the cash cost of a hemo dialysis treatment in the US.  I believe no clinic here would treat you for cash because of a little known law we have in the US that says if a dialysis clinic accepts you as a patient and treats you, they can not ask you to leave, ever, even if you refuse to pay.  Of course......everyone on dialysis has private ins or the promise of medicare before they are treated.

Anybody have experience with this?

[Riki]

When traveling to the US, I use www.dialysisfinder.com to find units.  The site will search for units in the area you are planning to go, by either the city, the zip code, or the full address of where you are staying.  Some have websites, with pictures of the inside of the unit, and details of what they will need before they will take you as a patient.  I emailed a few when I was looking for a unit in Manhattan.  I didn't get a response from many, but a couple gave me a cost rundown, for treatments, and medications.  Oh, and a tip for you, if you are using a fistula: Bring your own bandaids!  If you use the little brown sureseals or the big, white savon bandages, they won't give them to you.  They cost extra. They are saved for those with private insurance, and those of us paying cash don't count.  Prices will vary. The unit I go to in Manhattan costs me $400USD per treatment, but I am reimbursed by the government when I return to Canada.

[carson]

I know there's a center in Florida that the Ontario (Canada not California) govt will pay direct...no reimbursement!

[Riki]

I wish there was one in New York or New Jersey that had an agreement with PEI.  I hate having to find that extra $800US every time I go