With heart disease you face the biggest of all the medical businesses. In 2001, in the United States, more than one million coronary angioplasty procedures were performed at a cost of more than $30 billion, and more than 500,000 coronary bypass operations were performed at a cost of another $30 billion.1 Assume that your local general hospital derives 80% of its income from heart disease. The average total healthcare cost after three years is $63,896 for angioplasty (compared to $84,364 for bypass surgery).2 You had best be prepared for some high pressure sales when you become involved with heart surgery—and take all the necessary time to be sure you are making a wise purchase. My experience has been most patients are misinformed by their doctors about the real benefits and harms of the treatments offered—and all that money plays a big part in the dishonesty. |