Heart Bypass Surgery Cost

Typical costs:

• For patients covered by health insurance, out-of-pocket costs typically consist of doctor visit copays, prescription drug copays and coinsurance of 10%-50% or more, which could easily reach the yearly out-of-pocket maximum. Heart bypass surgery typically is covered by health insurance when medically necessary.
• For patients not covered by health insurance, heart bypass surgery typically costs about $70,000-$200,000 or more. Costs depend on the facility, but tend to be on the lower end without complications and on the higher end with complications. For example, St. Mary's Hospital^[1] in Wisconsin charges about $71,000. Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center^[2] in New Hampshire charges about $94,000, including doctor fee, after a 30% uninsured discount. Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center^[3] in Nebraska charges about $90,000-$110,000, not including the doctor fee. And Baptist Memorial Health Care in Tennessee typically charges about $75,000-$115,000, not including doctor fee, but cost can increase to $215,000 or more with major complications. A surgeon fee can add $5,000 or more to the final bill.
• According to an American Heart Association report^[4] , the average hospital charge for heart bypass surgery -- not including doctor fee -- is $117,094.

• In coronary artery bypass grafting, also known as heart bypass surgery^[5] , the patient is placed under general anesthesia and hooked up to a heart-lung bypass machine that does the work of the heart. The surgeon then removes a blood vessel from one part of the patient's body -- such as the chest, legs or arm -- and attaches it to the coronary artery to bypass the blockage.
• If the surgeon bypasses more than one artery in the heart, the operation might be referred to as a double, triple or quadruple bypass. Recovery^[6] requires a hospital stay of about six to seven days or longer, and about six to eight weeks off from work.

• Patients typically require one or more sessions of physical therapy to learn how to move without harming the incision and to learn exercises to assist recovery. This typically costs $50-$350 per session. The University of Washington Medical Center Cardiac Surgery Clinic has information on physical therapy^[7] after heart surgery.
• Drugs prescribed after bypass surgery might include a blood thinning medication such as warfarin (brand name Coumadin) or Plavix to prevent blood clots, a beta-blocker to slow the heart rate, a statin to lower cholesterol and an ACE inhibitor to control blood pressure and heart failure. At Drugstore.com, Warfarin typically costs about $15-$25 per month for the generic, depending on the dose, or $50- $70 for the brand name, and Plavix costs about $200 or more per month. Beta-blockers^[8] and statins^[9] can cost $10-$200 a month, depending on the drug. And ACE inhibitors^[10] can cost $10-$100 per month.

• Many hospitals give discounts of up to 30% or more to uninsured/cash-paying patients. For example, Washington Hospital Healthcare System^[11] in California offers a 35% discount.

• A cardiologist can provide a referral to a cardiothoracic surgeon. Or, the CardioThoracic Surgery Network offers a state-by-state surgeon locator^[12] . A cardiothoracic surgeon should be certified by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and should have completed a general surgery residency and a residency in cardiothoracic surgery.
• It is important to ask the surgeon about all treatment options, risks and if there are alternatives to surgery. WebMD has a guide for patients^[13] trying to decide whether to have heart bypass surgery or pursue alternatives such as angioplasty.

1.  www.wipricepoint.org/Basic_INP.aspx
2.  patients.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/billing_questions/out_of_pocket_estimator_dhmc.html
3.  tp.chi.acelogicus.net/nese/Default.aspx
4.  circ.ahajournals.org/content/123/4/e18.full.pdf
5.  www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/heart-disease-bypass-surgery
6.  my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/disorders/recovery_ohs.aspx
7.  healthonline.washington.edu/document/health_online/pdf/Physical_Therapy_After_Card...
8.  www.consumerreports.org/health/resources/pdf/best-buy-drugs/2pager_BetaBlockers.pdf
9.  www.consumerreports.org/health/best-buy-drugs/statins.htm
10.  www.consumerreports.org/health/best-buy-drugs/ace-inhibitors.htm
11.  www.whhs.com/about/washington-hospital-discount-policy-for-uninsured/
12.  www.ctsnet.org/members/bystate.cfm?ms=surgeons&o=sts
13.  www.webmd.com/heart-disease/features/bpyass-surgery-stents-options

Check Out All Costs for Health & Personal Care		How Much Does a Heart Stent Cost?		How Much Does a Tummy Tuck Cost?		How Much Does Medical Marijuana Cost?

Today's Featured Cost Articles

The hot summer weather has started. How much does central air conditioning cost? We give our advice on where to buy Purell and hand sanitizers. Looking for an indoor pet? Usage of streaming services is skyrocketing. We list the current deals. Staying cool during the summer also means on the road. We cover the cost of car air conditioning.

About CostHelper

CostHelper is based in Silicon Valley and provides consumers with unbiased price information about thousands of goods and services. Our writers are experienced journalists who adhere to our strict editorial ethics policy.

CostHelper Community

Replace Toilet Wax Ring (DIY) Paid: 25.00 Cost could have been cheaper, but previous owners hired a plumber and contractor who didn't do the job right. So we ran into problems. The first wax ring didn't work, so we had to buy the old fashioned type... [more] -JT Holm Toilet Repair Cost Plumbing totourial Paid: 0.00 I am appalled by some of these charges myself and yes plumbers have a hard,disgusting and exhausting job and it’s not for everyone... [more] -Caleb Domec Plumber Cost Ischemic stroke Paid: 89000.00 I had a CT scan, they called helicopter to transfer to trauma hospital in Atlanta, but neurosurgeon there said the stroke is is I n a deep area, and would be too dangerously to remove the clot surgically... [more] -Marie-Jose Stroke Treatment Cost Connective tissue graft Paid: 1300.00 Had to get a connective tissue graft for three of my teeth on my lower left and likely will need a few more done down the road (genetics). The procedure took about an hour and was pain-free... [more] - Gum Tissue Graft Cost Alaska propane pricing 2020 Paid: 130.71 No contract price is $3.87 x 32.8 gallons + $3.81 fee = delivered remote Cooper Landing Alaska. New contract renewal $1.91/gallon for delivery plus propane cost which I need to check on... [more] -Keith Mantey Propane Cost Funeral Paid: 160.00 Can somebody contact me... [more] -Terrance Samuel Releasing Doves Cost