Vasectomy Reversal Cost – Why Is It So Expensive?
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Vasectomy Reversal Cost – Why Is It So Expensive?
Serious about getting a Vasectomy Reversal? Contact Vasectomy Reversal Specialist, Dr. Thomas Sommers for a free consultation or visit his FAQ page at http://www.MidwestVasectomyReversals.com
Dr. Thomas Sommers
Midwest Vasectomy Reversals
300 Winding Woods, Suite 222
St. Louis, MO 63366
636-492-1323
Many patients are confused about why a vasectomy reversal (vasovasostomy) costs so much when their vasectomy was a relatively inexpensive procedure. Making matters worse, this is a procedure almost never covered by insurance. The goal of this article is to help you understand why the procedure is so expensive, and what you can do to lower your out of pocket costs.
Your original vasectomy was inexpensive because it was quick, relatively easy, and performed by many physicians. It’s much easier to destroy something than to repair it. Which would you rather pay for – someone to knock down a house or build it? In addition, the procedure is almost always done under local anesthesia in a doctor’s office, and the technique is easy to learn.
Vasectomy reversal differs from vasectomy in some important ways:
-To repair the vas from where it was cut or clipped takes a much longer time than to simply cut it did. The two different ends of the vas must be carefully aligned and sewn together with suture that is nearly invisible to the naked eye. This requires specialized equipment that most physicians don’t have.
-The surgical technique for a vasectomy repair is not taught to the vast majority of physicians when they are in training – even Urologists. Only the physicians who have made the time and effort to learn the microsurgery procedure on their own can perform it. Since the supply of qualified physicians is low, that drives the cost up.
-Some physicians require their patients be under general anesthesia (“knocked out”) for the procedure. This means there are costs to the surgery center and the anesthesiologist which drive up the total cost of the procedure.
To lower your out of pocket costs, the options available are:
-Look out-of-state for a lower cost doctor. Many people will just choose the person who is closest or recommended by a friend instead of investigating other possibilities. Often the large variation in fees between physicians will make it cheaper for the patient and their partner to travel to another state than have the procedure done locally.
-Ask if you can have the procedure done as an outpatient with local anesthesia. The surgeon may feel you’ll be more comfortable if you undergo general anesthesia, but the difference in cost might make you willing to sit still for a few hours instead of opting to be ‘knocked out’. Often the cost of the surgery center and the anesthesiologist may be more than half the total cost of your procedure.
-See if there are investigational studies going on that you can join. Occasionally physicians who are involved with research have a new technique they are trying or are training a new physician on the procedure. Your willingness to be part of an investigational or educational project could result in lower costs. It may require you to report in more often for semen analysis and report pregnancies and miscarriages more frequently than you would for a routine vasectomy reversal, but the hassle may be worth it.
-Barter to lower the cost. If you have a skill which might be useful to a physician in private practice – web design, accounting, lawn services, for instance – and it’s feasible to trade, ask if you can exchange services for a discount. Realize that you may have to complete those services before surgery would be performed, but it can’t hurt to ask. You’ll have more success asking the physician directly rather than talking to the office manager. The office manager is unlikely have the authority to make an exception regarding the physician’s fees.
-Get a Health Care Spending Account. These procedures are usually covered by HSA accounts which means you can pay for it with pre-tax dollars, making a big difference in the true cost of the procedure to you.
-Check with your insurance carrier. While most will not pay for the procedure, there are exceptions. In addition, you should always submit the procedure to your insurance company once it is completed, even if they say they don’t cover it. Patients report at times that they get reimbursed for the procedure even after they were told it was not covered.
On a final note, vasectomy reversal is expensive for a lot of reasons, but it also should be kept into perspective. Adoption and in-vitro fertilization are often more expensive than vasectomy reversal. Despite the out of pocket costs, many patients find the procedure ends up being the most cost effective choice when they want to expand their family after a vasectomy.
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