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