Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Support Group
Atrial fibrillation (AF or afib) is an abnormal heart rhythm (cardiac arrhythmia) which involves the two small, upper heart chambers (the atria). Heart beats in a normal heart begin after electricity generated in the atria by the sinoatrial node spread through the heart and cause contraction of the heart muscle and pumping of blood.
History:
I've had AFIB for about 40 years, stroke about 2 years ago, ablation about 18 months ago. After the ablation I still had some AFIB, but a lot less frequent and a lot less intense. Since I turned 65 last August, my EP suggested we install a Medtronic's Reveal Linq imbedded heart monitor, since at 65 Medicare would pay for it. The procedures, which takes less than an hour) initial cost, before all the discounts, was $17,000 including the device. The monitor talks to a box next to my bed each night, and the box transmits to the monitoring system via cell phone. Cool. I felt a lot more comfortable having my heart monitored constantly. When I see the EP he/she does a complete dump of the data with graphs and charts. That's how I know what my AFIB burden is (10.8%).
A few months after the implant I start getting bills. It took me a while to find out what they were, $372.00 per month (before all the insurance discounts). After some digging I found that this was for the remote monitoring. Since I feel much better now, and since the EP dumps all the data anyhow, yesterday I had the remote monitoring discontinued. I still have the monitor in my chest, and the EP will still read the data when I see him/her (at least until the battery runs out). Oh, and yes, I still get some minor AFIB events (and I take my Eliquis religiously). I don't see any more ablations or medications in my future (I hope). I'm at the 'I'll just live with it' stage.
Don't get me wrong, I think the monitor is a great thing. And when I was anxious about my heart, the remote monitoring gave me a lot of piece of mind. However, I can't see continuing with an expensive process, that at this point is of limited utility for me. I have great insurance, so the actual costs to me are minimal. I just can't see having the taxpayers or insurance companies, pay for some thing that I don't feel I really need any more.
I've had AFIB for about 40 years, stroke about 2 years ago, ablation about 18 months ago. After the ablation I still had some AFIB, but a lot less frequent and a lot less intense. Since I turned 65 last August, my EP suggested we install a Medtronic's Reveal Linq imbedded heart monitor, since at 65 Medicare would pay for it. The procedures, which takes less than an hour) initial cost, before all the discounts, was $17,000 including the device. The monitor talks to a box next to my bed each night, and the box transmits to the monitoring system via cell phone. Cool. I felt a lot more comfortable having my heart monitored constantly. When I see the EP he/she does a complete dump of the data with graphs and charts. That's how I know what my AFIB burden is (10.8%).
A few months after the implant I start getting bills. It took me a while to find out what they were, $372.00 per month (before all the insurance discounts). After some digging I found that this was for the remote monitoring. Since I feel much better now, and since the EP dumps all the data anyhow, yesterday I had the remote monitoring discontinued. I still have the monitor in my chest, and the EP will still read the data when I see him/her (at least until the battery runs out). Oh, and yes, I still get some minor AFIB events (and I take my Eliquis religiously). I don't see any more ablations or medications in my future (I hope). I'm at the 'I'll just live with it' stage.
Don't get me wrong, I think the monitor is a great thing. And when I was anxious about my heart, the remote monitoring gave me a lot of piece of mind. However, I can't see continuing with an expensive process, that at this point is of limited utility for me. I have great insurance, so the actual costs to me are minimal. I just can't see having the taxpayers or insurance companies, pay for some thing that I don't feel I really need any more.
Thanks for that information. My EP has been talking to me about implanting a monitor in me also. For now he said that I could use my AliveCor and monitor myself daily. We're going to re-evaluate the implant at my next appointment in December.
As far as I know, I have not had any A-Fib episodes since my Ablation in June. But, then I'm one of those people who can't feel anything if I was in A-Fib. Hence, the reason for the monitoring.
Just curious, can you feel the implanted monitor? I heard that the life battery is 3 years?
Sally
Make sure your insurance will pay for this. And, the remote monitoring may not be necessary.
Paul, I do not get a bill for monitoring from the company however I do get a bill from my EP every month that I was not sure what it was, after talking to him I found it was him checking the data every month, at this point I think I will do as you are doing and quit the monitoring as he loads it when I go see him every six months. Maybe the company is not monitoring just sending him the data? A good question for me to ask. I have already met my max out of pocket for this year but next year I imagine it will be quite costly.
Do you know what caused your stroke and do you think by having the Ablation will prevent another one? Where you on Eliquis when you had the stroke?