His son was born in a birth centre so he couldn’t get circumcised at birth. So when he called Mass General in Boston, Massachusetts, they gave him the ridonkulous price.
In his words:
When I called Mass General to get a quote on the price, I got the following: $US23,000 (includes Facility, Physician, Anesthesia)
This procedure is less than 30 minutes; the doctor himself even stated that this is one of the easiest procedures. I’ve researched prices for other countries and found a high of $US1200.
A foreskin saved is 23 grand in your pocket? [Cynical-C via BoingBoing, Image Credit Ljupco Smokovski/Shutterstock]
Stephen
Saturday, August 27, 2011 at 4:40 PMDoes the patient think this is worth the money?
Or to put it another way, this article is about performing elective, cosmetic surgery on a patient who hasn’t elected to have the surgery. If I were the hospital administrator, I’d be looking at the chance of getting sued as soon as Junior comes of age and including that in my insurance cover. That explains the size of the bill.
Alternatively, if the patient elects to have the surgery as an adult it’ll cost a lot less. But surprise, most adult guys won’t say “Yes, you can put a knife through the most tender and precious of my body parts because my religion dictates this”.
Callie R
Saturday, August 27, 2011 at 8:44 PM+1.
As a woman, I see no reason why someone should voluntarily subject themselves to something like this. Female Circumcision is a human rights violation, yet we do it to our sons on a daily basis without blinking?
You’re born with it, it serves a biological purpose. If you’re that worried about comparing yourself to what you’ll see in porn, spend the $23k on a therapist to help you come to terms with how evolution built you instead.
Steve
Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 12:14 AM90% of the doctors you’ll talk to, do not condone circumcision. For most it’s a religious thing but personally I’ve always found it cruel and barbaric.
The issue with this article is the $23,000 for what’s a very simple and short ‘operation.’ Just ask a nurse or medical student if they’re willing to do it for a couple hundred bucks and I’m sure they’d oblige.
Will
Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 12:35 AMLike all that non-translated DNA and your appendix.
Evolution does leave vestigial artefacts.
Wabuckys
Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 12:50 AMYou wrote this in all seriousness?! You are kidding, surely?
Callie R
Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 11:03 AMIt’s not vestigal at all; same as women’s labia aren’t. Foreskin, labia and pubic hair are there to keep dirt, grime and bacteria away from you, as those areas are an open entry point into the body. We may have developed better hygiene in the last 75 years, but that doesn’t change the way humans evolved with this need to protect ourselves.
My partner isn’t circumcised and neither is my son – I’m not going to hack at his body without his permission. If when he turns 18 he decides it’s something he desperately wants and there’s no stopping him, then at least it will have been his choice to make, whether I disagree with it or not.
If you look around the internet, there’s a growing movement of men using weights and stretching procedures to grow theirs back and many of them are seeing health benefits to it.
Stephen
Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 11:32 AMWell the appendix is often considered a vestigial organ. When you have a child, do you intend booking an appointment to get their appendix ripped out?
Benny
Saturday, August 27, 2011 at 8:56 PMI was circumcised for no particular reason at all and I think the results are an outstanding improvement for a variety of reasons.
I have always thought that it would be the right and good thing to do for any male offspring I should happen to have in the future and I am disappointed to think that I could be prevented from doing so through some form of financial discrimination.
Sam
Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 10:03 PM… seriously? You think surgery with no medical benefits should be free?
Plus, did you experience any ‘benefits’ before 18? I’d suggest it’s not ok to subject a child to a procedure with no medical benefits before they can consent to it.
Evan
Saturday, August 27, 2011 at 11:08 PMKnowing what we know now about how important the foreskin is, it is sad that people still consider it as a routine operation. It should only be done as a medical last resort.
Murray
Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 5:54 AMAs an Australian Im glad all our medical treatment is FREE. We pay a 1% levy with our tax and that entitles us to free medical treatment for all.
Anyways circumcision in Australia is not performed unless it is medically necessary or parents elect to get it done privately for personal/religious reasons at their expense.
Grimshaw
Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 9:42 AMI’m 30 years of age and I have just had the procedure done. I got it performed privately and all up after medicare and private health it will cost $600 – $700.
I was at hospital for about 6 hrs (mainly waiting, but yes the procedure takes 30mins – 1hr. The reason? Skin cancer. I had developed what would be considered pre-cancer, and it had a lot to do with having a foreskin. Of course there are possible links to HPV, or licun plunas and numerous other things that can cause it. But the foreskin was the real problem. Now in saying all of this, it is a very rare cancer to get, and even more rare for someone my age, and I have had a few health issues/stress that have all contributed to this.
So medically there are advantages for this procedure, outside of that it shouldn’t be required.
Sam
Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 10:06 PM100% support the decision – you had a significant medical reason for this procedure. And thankfully we live in a society where it wasn’t hard for you to procure an operation that was necessary in your case.
greg
Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 12:29 PMAs for the statement about keeping dirt and grime away. Lady you don’t know what you are talking about. As a matter of fact. One of the key reasons for a circumcision is for cleanliness. It is also a fact that by being circumcised you are 90% less likely to contact an STD. (this if for boys I am talking about). Being a man who is a helmet head, and had the procedure done for his little boy I have no problems with the procedure. Further more what does a woman know about having a penis. Last point it cost $220 for the circumcision to be done in Oz. So the guy could fly down to Oz for a vacation with his little guy and see some of the sights and still be thousands of dollars better off .
Peter
Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 5:24 PMWhy are you making the choice for your child? It’s an unnecessary procedure, and some here, myself included, consider it mutilation. These aren’t just piercings, they don’t just close over.
Sam
Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 10:15 PMI think you’re quoting a non-statistic there… Just doing a quick literature search on Pub Med Central showed a few papers that showed a reduction in HIV transmission (to the male) of 51-60%.
This is significant, and there are definitely benefits to circumcision as a public health strategy in HIV endemic regions. However, that is a long way from Australia or the USA.
You know what else helps prevent STI infection in Western males? Protective behaviours – condoms and not sleeping around. The bottom line with your argument is that you want your children to look the same downstairs.
greg
Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at 2:54 PMSam, you missed the fact. I did not say it was a 90% reduction in AIDS. I said in STD’s. Secondly if you don’t think there is AIDS in Australia, again you are mistaken, Most importantly if you read through any of those papers you would know that the world health organization agrees so heavily in this issue that they would like to make it mandatory in some of those other countries. Last point about your last 2 statements. Sure using condoms helps, but if you double protect you a 2x less likely to contract and STD. And last yes I want my boy to look the same downstairs, but I at least did my research before I made my decision.
Brett
Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 2:01 PMPeople with real jobs pay 2.5% Murray. Honestly, you’d need to be stacking shelves or pushing trolleys to earn low enough to only pay 1%.
Jamie
Monday, August 29, 2011 at 10:06 AMI had it done when I was born and I thank my parents for it. My partner also thanks them for it. ;) I can’t imagine not being circumcised and I find it quite disgusting to even think about having to put up with a foreskin. I will be getting it done to my sons, no question, and not for religious reasons. My partner agrees with me 100% as well.
I think charging this much for the procedure is ridiculous. Sure, I can understand the cost if it includes insurance against future law suits, which is even more ridiculous that people would even try and sue over this. Maybe they should sue the parents for making the decision instead? Hell, maybe they should sue their parents for every decision they made for them that they don’t like.
There are tonnes of reasons to do it. There are tonnes not to do it. Just like anything in life. Why can’t the people that disagree just STFU and let everyone else make their own decisions?