We're both fighting the same fight, Steve. The information I've found applies to Canada, Ontario specifically, as that is my battle, but it may give you something to work with.
In April 2006, the Ontario Medical Advisory Secretariat for the Ministry of Health and Long-Term care put out a 96 page Policy Assessment regarding Artificial Discs for Lumbar and Cervical DD Disease-Update. (Whew!)
You can find it online.
On page 54 of that report, the government found that the median hospital cost of a lumbar fusion surgery procedure was estimated at $8,774. The average cost for a lumbar artificial disc replacement procedure was $5,971.
The professional costs on top of that (for anesthetist and assistant costs, etc.) for the fusion was $2,636.56, while the lumbar ADR procedure cost $2,537.37. Not such a difference as far as the doctors' fees, etc. go, but the hospital costs were significantly different.
It took quite awhile to find a breakdown of hospital costs. I found the Schedule of Benefits for the physicians easily online.
I am sure I have come across many publications stating that ADR is better than fusion, but not sure if I have any regarding multi-level, which is what I have to prove too. Unfortunately, the company reps have told me that multi-level have not been recommended at their end, that it is at the doctors' discretion.
I'll do some more digging to see if I can help at all.
All the best with your battle.
__________________
DDD
Herniated discs C4/5 & 5/6, L3/4, L4/5, L5/S1
Severe compression of spinal cord in two levels
All conventional therapy exhausted, including spinal injections, PT, massage, etc.
In appeal with Gov't Insurance for Out-of-country coverage for ADR hybrid surgery of above discs.
Recently discovered that I am severely allergic to all common metals used in surgical hardware except for Titanium.
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