Originally published July 10 2005
Recalls and defects jolt health care costs
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Medtronic Inc., maker of defibrillators implanted in the heart, recently recalled a model, saying it had a flaw that could cause some devices to fail.
Two years ago, a surgeon cut into Jim Penn's chest, snaked a wire to his heart and implanted a pager-size defibrillator that was supposed to shock his heart if it ever stopped beating properly.
Beyond the worry and risk of a second surgery for Penn and other patients, the replacements also come with a considerable financial cost to the health-care system.
Medtronic said it will replace the $20,000-plus device and offer up to $3,500 for other expenses, but it's not going to cover the $8,000 to $14,000 for the second surgery.
Insurers say the bill could surge this year in the wake of Guidant Corp.'s recall on Friday of more than 40,000 heart defibrillators.
When the system absorbs that kind of expense, it offers a partial explanation for skyrocketing health-care costs in the United States, which are increasing annually by 10 percent or more, far outpacing inflation.
The Medtronic recall is part of the $400 billion to $500 billion paid in the U.S. each year for care that includes medical errors and flawed devices, according to a study by the Midwest Business Group on Health.
Her group works as an advocate for patients like Penn who suffer the condition that causes excessive thickening of the heart muscle.
Salberg said her vision of a lemon law would protect employers, consumers and insurance firms from having to pay to remove and replace defective or flawed medical devices.
"I feel for all of the people out there who are not in a strong financial situation," said Penn, who owns a financial-services business in New Jersey.
Concern over who will pay for defibrillator replacements started brewing in May after Indianapolis-based Guidant told doctors that its Ventak Prizm 2 DR defibrillator had failed in a small number of cases.
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