Cardiac Arrest Treatment Cost

Typical costs:

• Total costs will vary significantly depending on the patient's condition and the medications and procedures required. With health insurance, costs typically include standard copays and coinsurance of 10%-50%, and usually quickly pass the annual out-of-pocket maximum. Without insurance, total costs can vary from $30,000-$300,000 or more, depending on the cause of the cardiac arrest and whether medication is effective or if surgeries or other procedures are needed.
• Because cardiac arrest requires quick treatment, a patient experiencing one will typically need to be taken to the emergency room at the first sign of symptoms or be transported there by ambulance. For patients without health insurance, an emergency room visit typically costs between $150 and $3,000 or more, depending on the severity of the condition and the diagnostic tests and treatment performed. For patients covered by health insurance, out-of-pocket cost for an emergency room visit typically consists of a copay, usually $50 -$150 or more, which often is waived if the patient is admitted to the hospital. Depending on the plan, costs might include coinsurance of 10% to 50%.
• According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality[2] , the average length of hospital admission for cardiac arrest is five days at $16,700 per stay.
• Typcial medical interventions[3] may include treatment with a class of drugs called beta blockers[4] , which typically range in cost from $6 -$170 a month depending on whether a generic or brand name drug is used. Other possible drug therapies include antiarrhythmic drugs[5] , such as Amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone)[6] , which can cost up to $200 or more a month, depending on whether a generic or brand name drug is used, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors[7] , which typically range in cost from $8- $100 a month.
• A doctor may recommend that an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)[8] be placed in the chest or abdomen to monitor and pace heart rhythm. According to a 2010 study[9] published in the medical journal American Family Physician, the cost of implanting the device can be significant, at an estimated $30,000-$50,000 per implant.
• Other procedures that may be required include bypass surgery, which typically costs about $70,000 -$200,000 or more, or corrective heart surgery, which can range from less than $30,000 to almost $200,000 or more, depending on the facility and surgery needed.

• A patient may receive treatment with a defibrillator, a computerized device that checks an individual's heart rhythm and delivers a shock when the rhythm is abnormal or absent, from emergency personnel.
• According to the Mayo Clinic[10] , once a patient arrives at the ER, the medical staff will work to stabilize his or her condition and treat a possible heart attack, heart failure or electrolyte imbalances.
• Tests[11] a patient may undergo include an angiogram (less than $5,000 -$100,000 or more), chest x-ray ($200-$400 or more), echocardiogram ($1000-$3000 or more) or an MRI ($1000-$5000 or more), among others.

• According to the American Heart Association, survivors of sudden cardiac arrest may face a variety of complex medical issues known as Post-Cardiac Arrest Syndrome (PCAS)[12] , which can include lung conditions and infections, and will require continued medical attention. For example, a patient experiencing PCAS might be diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism, which typically costs $15,000 -$40,000 or more to treat, depending on the length of hospital stay and whether there are complications.

• Discount outlets such as Costco[13] and Walmart[14] often sell prescription and over-the-counter drugs at significant savings. Walmart, for example, has a prescription drug program[15] that includes certain generic drugs at commonly prescribed dosages.
• Many hospitals offer discounts of 30% or more to uninsured/cash-paying patients. At St. Joseph Hospital[16] in Orange, CA, for example, patients without health insurance may qualify for a 45% discount off billed charges. They'll also be offered an additional 10% discount if payment is made within 10 days of receiving a bill.

• The American Heart Association offers a page of tools and resources[17] related to cardiac arrest.
• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers a hospital comparison tool[18] that lists hospitals near a chosen zip code, how far away they are and whether they offer emergency service.

1.  www.mayoclinic.com/health/sudden-cardiac-arrest/DS00764
2.  www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/reports/statbriefs/sb26.pdf
3.  www.mayoclinic.com/health/sudden-cardiac-arrest/DS00764/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs
4.  www.consumerreports.org/health/resources/pdf/best-buy-drugs/2pager_BetaBlockers.pdf
5.  health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/cardiovascular/heart/what-do-i-need-t...
6.  www.everydayhealth.com/drugs/amiodarone
7.  www.consumerreports.org/health/resources/pdf/best-buy-drugs/2pager_ACEIs.pdf
8.  www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/icd/
9.  www.aafp.org/afp/2010/1201/p1357.html
10.  www.mayoclinic.com/health/sudden-cardiac-arrest/DS00764/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs
11.  www.mayoclinic.com/health/sudden-cardiac-arrest/DS00764/DSECTION=tests%2Dand%2Ddia...
12.  www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/CardiacArrest/Long-Term-Treatment-for-Cardi...
13.  www2.costco.com/Service/FeaturePage.aspx?ProductNo=11486072&srchKeyword=pharmacy
14.  www.walmart.com/cp/5431?povid=cat1070145-env172199-module051812-lLinkGNAV_PHARMACY...
15.  www.walmart.com/cp/1078664
16.  www.sjo.org/For-Patients/Your-Hospital-Bill/Self-Pay-Discount-Program.aspx
17.  www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/CardiacArrest/Cardiac-Arrest-Tools-Resource...
18.  www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/hospital-search.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1'

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