What spinal decompression surgery costs: United States vs. other countries
Surgery that relieves pressure on nerves in the spine. The report gives no further definition.
Typical price paid to hospitals and doctors for spinal decompression surgery, from one report on the same basis: $20,704 in the United States, $7,352 in the United Kingdom, $5,330 in Germany, $7,833 in Australia. Source: International Health Care Cost Comparison Report 2024 (Report dated October 2024. Prices are for 2022.). These are not what one patient was charged; what patients pay is in the table.
| Country | Price paid to the hospital | What a patient usually pays | Typical wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $20,704 (iFHP) | Depends on the plan. The average deductible is $1,886 for single coverage (KFF) | Not yet sourced |
| Canada | Not yet sourced | No charge for medically necessary hospital and doctor care (Commonwealth Fund) | Not yet sourced |
| United Kingdom | $7,352 (iFHP) | No charge. NHS care is free when you use it (Commonwealth Fund) | Not yet sourced |
| France | Not yet sourced | National insurance pays 80% of a hospital stay (Commonwealth Fund) | Not yet sourced |
| Germany | $5,330 (iFHP) | €10 a day in hospital, for at most 28 days a year (BMG Germany) | Not yet sourced |
| Japan | ¥133,100: the national fee for a laminectomy in the lower back alone. The hospital stay, anaesthesia and materials are paid separately (MHLW Japan) | 30% of the bill for most adults, with a monthly cap (Commonwealth Fund) | Not yet sourced |
| Australia | $7,833 (iFHP) | No charge in a public hospital (Commonwealth Fund) | Not yet sourced |
Where no sourced figure exists, the cell says so. We do not fill gaps with estimates.