Before a big procedure like a coronary angioplasty, patients will likely have many questions about what to expect during the surgery and what the recovery period looks like. But, patients don’t always ask about the cost ahead of time.

A coronary angioplasty is a procedure used to open clogged heart arteries. The process involves inserting a tiny balloon catheter into a blocked blood vessel in order to widen it and improve blood flow to the heart. If your doctor has recommended a coronary angioplasty as part of your treatment for blocked arteries or other conditions, you’ll want to ask what to expect from the surgery and after you have recovered. You’ll also want to know what costs to expect and reduce the chance of a surprise bill.

On the Wear The Cost website, the coronary angioplasty “episode of care” includes the total cost of all covered services related to the surgery, whether the service takes place in a hospital or in an outpatient facility. This total cost includes consultation prior to surgery, tests, and the surgery itself, and nursing care following the surgery. It also includes costs that may occur after being discharged from the hospital/outpatient facility, including follow-up doctor appointment and post-acute care services.

By including the related services before, during, and after the surgery, Wear The Cost captures the total cost of care of a coronary angioplasty. The costs are based on health insurance claims data, which reflects what health insurers actually paid providers for their services and the patients’ out-of-pocket costs.

In Maryland, the cost of a coronary angioplasty can range from about $17,600 to over $33,500, depending on the hospital where the procedure takes place. These costs include things you expect, like radiology and lab tests before and after surgery. They also include treatments for complications that you hope not to experience and could potentially be avoided. Common potentially avoidable complications for a coronary angioplasty include excessive bleeding after the operation, wound infections, urinary tract infections, pressure ulcers or bed sores, deep vein thrombosis, and fluid and electrolyte problems. Some hospitals have more costs associated with potentially avoidable complications than others.

Knowing both the costs associated with the procedure and the rate of potentially avoidable complications can help patients as they consider where to get their surgery – something everyone should think about.

To learn more about what coronary angioplasties cost in Maryland and which hospitals may offer a better value, check out https://www.wearthecost.org/episodes/coronary_angioplasty. Or create your own custom report to compare hospitals: https://www.wearthecost.org/report_step1.html.