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Is your father symptomatic? If not, I am not sure it is worth it to test. You can have good coronary flow one day and be dead the next. And they won't do preventive heart surgery no matter what they see. Have you ever heard of someone having an angioplasty or open heart surgery when they didn't have an MI?
Um, yes. My husband had four stents placed after a heart cath showed 99% blockages. He did not have an MI. Only very mild "not sure if we should be concerned" type symptoms. He was VERY lucky. The whole point of stents and angioplasty is to hopefully avoid open heart surgery.
He can buy international insurance for a decent price. My friend is moving to Mexico, then France, and was telling me about this yesterday. May want to look into it.
I would think that the exam/consultation fee would probably in the $200+ range (new patients have higher fees and reviewing all the medical testing done so far and ordering more testing is a higher level of complexity and billing). Not sure how accurate this site is but it gives you a snapshot of what a stress test might cost around here (note: definitely costs more to be done at a large hospital):
And this article from Dec. 2012 talks about the fees going up once doctors join the hospital groups. It also given a small snapshot of what Medicare reimburses, which may help you find a negotiated price between the two (no self pay discount will get you down to Medicare level of reimbursement...sorry!):
Although not recently, his ability to walk has reduced. Here in Cary, there are more slopes.. when walking up such gradual slopes.... he as to stop every few minutes and let his breath catchup.
My whole point was to have some tests done and get another opinion from a cardiologist here in the US, for what route/options to consider in the future (in India). But look like its not worth it or the process is complicated...
Although not recently, his ability to walk has reduced. Here in Cary, there are more slopes.. when walking up such gradual slopes.... he as to stop every few minutes and let his breath catchup.
My whole point was to have some tests done and get another opinion from a cardiologist here in the US, for what route/options to consider in the future (in India). But look like its not worth it or the process is complicated...
Maybe you could start by getting him a basic physical exam from your own doctor, GP, family doctor, etc. It should be relatively easy to determine the price for something like this. Shortness of breath can have causes unrelated to heart disease. Perhaps your doctor could help guide you if something turns up on a regular physical- as in which (if any tests) to have, and how to maneuver with the self-pay route.
He can buy international insurance for a decent price. My friend is moving to Mexico, then France, and was telling me about this yesterday. May want to look into it.
Before this leads the OP or anyone else on a wild goose chase, if the purchaser has pre-existing conditions, they will be declined for international insurance, or those claims associated with the pre-existing condition
will not be covered. This is especially true for the long term policies that your friend is considering.
Let him know it's not as easy as it looks, and the coverage will disappear completely when he/she reaches a certain age - typically 70.
Before this leads the OP or anyone else on a wild goose chase, if the purchaser has pre-existing conditions, they will be declined for international insurance, or those claims associated with the pre-existing condition
will not be covered. This is especially true for the long term policies that your friend is considering.
Let him know it's not as easy as it looks, and the coverage will disappear completely when he/she reaches a certain age - typically 70.
yep. I am well aware of what international insurance for visitors covers. They don't cover any preexisting conditions (nor preventive care) except acute-onset.
3 years ago they did a test called "Coronary angiography" and found evidence of some calcification / 3 vessel disease etc... They didn't consider it alarming then. His cardiologist put him on preventive medication. His ability walk has reduced in the recent past.
Now:
-I want to get some "appropriate" tests done when he is here. (No procedures, just tests and opinions/options from consultation)
-He doesn't have insurance for such preventive things. So I'll have to pay out of pocket 100%.
Can someone recommend a cardiology practice that will do this? in and around the RDU area.
My idea is to get opinions and test results, so he can take it with him.
Your options at this point are fairly limited. Another angiography with the probability of angioplasty/stent, coronary bypass surgery or medicine.
Medicine will not reduce or stop coronary artery disease. It is just palliative as you have seen.
Angioplasty with the addition of a stent(s) will open up the narrowing of the three areas (or more) in the three vessels. Surgery will be a graft onto an existing coronary artery to allow more blood to reach the heart.
If they catheterize him again, they will suggest to you that if they find the narrowing of the arteries has progressed, they will do an angioplasty and stent during the same procedure. I expect this procedure could run as much as $30K+. Surgery will be about the same or a little more, however there are risks with surgery not found in a stenting procedure.
I suggest Duke, simply because if someone is performing a procedure like this, you want the best available.
My suggestion would be for your dad to become a vegan, eat as little oil and nuts as possible for a period of time.
Bill Clinton had bypass surgery, continued his same diet and then had a stent. Now he is a vegan.
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