| The average hospital's asking price of an | | | | symptoms of bowel obstruction could be the |
| inguinal or femoral hernia surgery is $10,600 | | | | sign of a strangulated hernia, an emergency |
| for an adult male in the United States in | | | | that requires hernia surgery. Key symptoms to |
| 2006. (Source: Healthia) | | | | watch out for are tenderness and pain. While |
| | | | not every hernia is an immediate surgical |
| For a patient with viable insurance, the | | | | emergency, any hernia can become one. So if |
| majority of hernia surgery costs will be | | | | you notice the symptoms, you should take a |
| covered. Unfortunately, more than 40 million | | | | prompt trip to your doctor. |
| Americans don't have insurance.In addition, | | | | |
| some health plans qualify some forms of | | | | While hernias have often been associated with |
| hernia surgery as "elective." | | | | sports and weight lifting, they can actually |
| | | | turn up without heavy exercise. A hernia |
| A 1999 study in American Family Physician | | | | patient was likely born with an area of |
| warned about the consequences of not covering | | | | weakness in his or her abdominal wall. |
| hernia surgery because of cost concerns. "In | | | | Pressure from strenuous exercise, obesity or |
| the managed-care environment, elective | | | | even coughing can cause part of an internal |
| herniorrhaphy is under increasing pressure. | | | | organ to "bulge" through a wall in the body. |
| Some state health plans do not reimburse for | | | | Other conditions that can contribute to the |
| elective hernia repairs. The long-term impact | | | | formation or worsening of a hernia include |
| of complications secondary to untreated | | | | chronic lung disease and fluid in the |
| herniation is not fully known. A decrease in | | | | abdominal cavity. But having a history of |
| surgical repair may lead to an increase in | | | | hernias in the family is also a contributor. |
| hospitalizations related to incarceration or | | | | |
| strangulation." (Source: T. Bax, B Sheppard, | | | | In the event of "strangulation," when blood |
| R. Crass. Surgical Options in the Management | | | | supply is cut off from the "bulge," the |
| of Groin Hernias. American Family Physician. | | | | condition can become a life-or-death |
| January 1999.) | | | | emergency that requires hernia surgery. |
| | | | Without insurance, a patient could be faced |
| Typically, hernias are in the news when | | | | with a choice: risk serious medical |
| athletes get them. In August of 2006, | | | | complications or face a financial crisis. |
| Colorado's Avalanche Hockey Club announced | | | | Some patients without insurance have actually |
| that defenseman Jordan Leopold needed to | | | | held off on surgery, hoping to raise the |
| undergo hernia surgery, taking him out of the | | | | money, only to discover that the hernia got |
| game for a number of months. After further | | | | worse with time and became more expensive to |
| medical testing and evaluation it was | | | | treat. |
| determined that rehabilitation alone would | | | | |
| not correct the problem, Avalanche Head | | | | Luckily, hernia surgery is often an |
| Trainer Matt Sokolowski told the press. We | | | | outpatient procedure, sometimes performed |
| expect him to be back to full speed in 10-12 | | | | with local anesthesia. Patients aren't able |
| weeks. | | | | to drive themselves home, but they typically |
| | | | don't have to spend the night at a hospital. |
| In fact, the only real cure for a hernia is | | | | |
| surgery, and sometimes once is not enough. | | | | Unfortunately, hernias can appear suddenly. |
| Arkansas starting quarterback Robert Johnson, | | | | Even someone who believes he is too healthy |
| a fourth-year junior, underwent two hernia | | | | for insurance can find himself suffering from |
| surgeries during two off-seasons in a row, | | | | a hernia. A costly surgery is the only cure. |
| according to the ARSN Sports Network. | | | | |
| | | | Given the high price of a hernia surgery, it |
| Unfortunately, hernia symptoms aren't always | | | | is essential for health consumers to select |
| obvious. In 2003, Oakland Raiders receiver | | | | solid health plans that will cover |
| Jerry Porter had to undergo a hernia surgery. | | | | non-emergency hernia repairs, and to never go |
| Initially, the condition was diagnosed by | | | | without insurance. Independent sites that |
| doctors as a strained stomach muscle. | | | | help consumers compare plans from different |
| | | | carriers, like Healthia inc, can help. Check |
| The signs of a hernia can range from a | | | | the fine print in your policy. Affordable |
| painless lump to a protrusion that cannot be | | | | plans exist that will cover emergency and |
| pushed back into the abdomen. A lump in the | | | | non-emergency cases. Health Savings Accounts |
| groin or abdominal wall that increases in | | | | can also be used with high-deductible plans |
| size while coughing is a possible sign of a | | | | to offset the financial burden of an |
| hernia. A pain followed by tenderness and | | | | operation. |