China's first centralized procurement program for cochlear implants has dramatically reduced their average cost, cutting prices from over 200,000 yuan to around 50,000 yuan, the National Healthcare Security Administration announced Thursday. Five domestic and international companies secured bids for the implants through a bulk buying program held in Tianjin, according to a preliminary list released by the administration. The procurement …
Kim Daniels didn’t have to pay a penny for her double mastectomy or the reconstructive surgery she had after treatment for breast cancer in June 2018. When patients pick up the tab, cosmetic surgery packages for breast augmentation cost about the same — $7,000 — but that includes the doctor’s fee, implants, operating room time and anesthesia. Dr. Anupam Jena, …
