Why package prices hide the important things
Two clinics quote $5,500 for the same procedure. One includes a hospital operating room, a named anesthesiologist, brand-name implants, three follow-up visits and a compression garment. The other includes a private-suite operating room, a rotating anesthesiologist, unbranded implants and one follow-up. Same number, completely different product. Colombian clinics that work seriously with international patients will itemize on request. The ones that refuse are telling you something.
The line items to demand
| Line item | What to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon fee | Named surgeon; ReTHUS number | Verifiable; not a bait-and-switch to an associate |
| Anesthesiologist fee | Named; specialty on ReTHUS; general vs sedation vs local | See our anesthesia guide |
| Facility fee | Named hospital or surgical center; REPS registration; hours of OR time | Where you are if something goes wrong |
| Hospital nights | Number included; cost of an extra night | Slow recoveries happen |
| Implants / devices / IOLs / grafts | Brand, model, whether included | The most common hidden add-on |
| Pre-op labs and imaging | Included or separate; which ones | Can be $150 to $500 on arrival |
| Pathology | Included for any tissue removed | Often forgotten |
| Medications and garments | Post-op prescriptions, antibiotics, compression garments, drains | Adds up |
| Follow-up visits | How many, over what period, and remote follow-up after you fly | Continuity |
| Complication policy | What is covered if a revision or readmission is needed within X days | The line that separates serious clinics |
| Payment terms | Deposit, balance timing, method, refund rules | Cash-only on arrival is a red flag |
| Transport and lodging | Included or referral; who arranges | Convenience, not medicine; do not let it drive the choice |
How to ask
Send the same email to every clinic. State the procedure, attach your photos or imaging, give your height, weight, age, medications and any conditions, and say: please provide an itemized quote in USD listing the surgeon, anesthesiologist, facility and each cost line separately, and your written policy on complications and revisions. Ask for a response in writing, not a phone call. Clinics that call to avoid putting it in writing are avoiding it for a reason.
Comparison worksheet
Build a simple table with one column per clinic and one row per line item above. Fill in the blanks from the written quotes. Then add three rows that are not on the quote: surgeon verified on ReTHUS with specialty, facility verified on REPS for this surgery, and hospital JCI status confirmed in the JCI directory if claimed. The winner is rarely the lowest total; it is the quote with no blank cells.
Pricing tricks to watch for
- The teaser price that assumes local anesthesia when your case needs general.
- A combined-procedure discount that packs eight hours of surgery into one session. Cheaper, and more dangerous.
- Quotes in Colombian pesos with a favorable exchange rate that is not the one you will pay.
- Package includes lodging you do not want at a markup that exceeds the medical discount.
- Deposit non-refundable even if the surgeon declines you at the pre-anesthesia visit. Ask about this scenario specifically.
Frequently asked questions
Is it rude to ask a Colombian clinic to itemize?
No. Serious international-patient clinics expect it. The reaction to the request is itself useful information.
Should I pay in pesos or dollars?
Get the quote in USD with the peso equivalent stated and the rate locked, or pay in pesos at the day's bank rate. Avoid clinic-set exchange rates.
How many quotes should I get?
Three is enough to see the pattern. More than five wastes everyone's time.
What if a clinic will not give a complication policy?
Then you know that a revision is at your cost. Weigh that against a clinic that puts a 30 or 90 day policy in writing.