Aneurysm 'Second Opinion' Program Providers List (Virtual for Non-Local Patients)

General
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Hi friends -

Wanted to create a post compiling info about providers who offer ‘second opinion’ aneurysm case review + recommendation programs, particularly those with virtual reviews for patients who are non-local.

Unfortunately, some centers on the US News and World Report rankings do NOT offer virtual second opinions in neurosurgery (including the top ranked NYU Langone).

However, almost all of the centers mentioned will see you for a second opinion (whether you tell them they are serving a second opinion function for you or not, which is a personal choice) in a more traditional setting, via a visit or in some cases a Telehealth visit after establishing a chart (ability to establish a ‘new patient’ via F2F visit or Telehealth is sometimes limited by your state of residence and state in which the center is based, so ask openly about whether they can see you/establish care without an in-person visit).

Your insurance may cover multiple visits to different centers or it may not - when in doubt, contact your insurance to confirm coverage and options.

Please note, most of these virtual/online second opinion review programs don’t actually establish you as a patient under care at that institution nor do they establish a chart - they are sort of ‘extra system’ reviews for your informational purposes only. In fact, a CPT medical billing code does not currently exist for virtual second opinion programs. Crazy huh?

There are a few exceptions, so read the descriptions carefully.

Becoming a patient generally, but not always, requires an in-person consultation with their neurosurgical team, and you’ll have to schedule/arrange travel for those separately.

You are also not eligible for most second opinion programs if you are currently hospitalized.

  • The great news: There are many of these programs to choose from!
  • The good news: Fees are relatively affordable, varying from $100 to $2,500 USD (ish) per provider
  • The ok news: All are self-pay/out of pocket requiring up-front payment (will not submit to health insurance for reimbursement), and be aware second opinion/consultation/review fee may not be covered by your health insurance, and is likely not covered by workman’s compensation, malpractice, Medicare or other claim structures (although for some you may be able to utilize funds from an HSA or FSA) - check with your coverage provider to be sure.

There are also usually no refunds for most of these programs after you pay/submit info for review, unless requests are completed before an intake call is conducted with partner app/platform intake coordinator. This only applies to certain platforms, so read the notes below and review links carefully for more info.

Barrow Neurological Institute: Get a Second Opinion Program

  • Cost + Method of Payment: $100 (self pay/out of pocket) via Visa or Mastercard

*Your doctor can submit your case for you at no charge to you - provide your doctor’s office with a link to our physician-to-physician Second Opinion portal

  • Phone: 602-406-3396 (add +1 country code if outside US)

  • Email: BarrowSecondOpinion@DignityHealth.org

  • Turnaround Time: 7-10 days except Nov/Dec

  • Requires Google Chrome browser which you can download here.

  • Can’t vouch for this one as I haven’t personally used it (yet).

  • Looks easy peasy with lots of online info and process; you set up a Second Opinion Portal (powered by Dignity Health hello human kindness).

  • Requires upload of medical images (MRI, CT) taken w/in last 6 mos.

  • Adults over age of 18. Parents/guardians can submit for children 14 or older.

  • Barrow Neurosurgeon is assigned your case. You get an email with a PDF report of results.

  • If you choose Barrow, you can follow up for in person consultation scheduling.

  • Disclaimer: “our Second Opinion Program is not meant to replace an in-depth, face-to-face consultation with a physician.”

  • You can also search clinical trials here.

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC Harvard) Brain Aneurysm Institute: Neuro Conference Review

  • Cost: $500 (self pay/out of pocket as ‘review fee’ via mailed check only). Call Deirdre Buckley (“Dede”) NP first. Make check payable to BIDMC Department of Surgery Foundation Inc and mail to BIDMC Brain Aneurysm Institute, Neurosurgery - Suite 3B, 110 Francis Street, Boston MA 02215

  • Phone: 617-632-9713

  • Fax: 617-632-0949 (add +1 country code if outside US)

  • E-mail: dabuckle@bidmc.harvard.edu

  • You will have to ship (USPS, FedEx, UPS etc) a CD with your images to BIDMC

  • Turnaround Time: 1-2 weeks - BIDMC conference is every Thursday and they’ll review 20-30 patients each go - if you’re an ‘optional’ second opinion review patient you may get bumped out a week or so based on emergent cases.

  • After conference review, Dr. Christopher Ogilvy will call you personally with his recommendations.

Stanford Medicine Online Second Opinion Program (Neurosurgery) ranked 12th in US News and World Report

  • Cost: $700 self pay/out of pocket OR can use HSA/FSA funds

  • Offered via partnership with Included Health

  • Phone (Care Coordinator for this Program): 1-800-929-0926

  • Adult or pediatric reviews available

  • You’ll create a Stanford Medicine/Included Health account, the care team will contact physicians to obtain your records (nice!) if you’re in the US OR you can send them directly (which reduces turnaround time) and then Stanford Medicine physician (assigned, you can’t select) will get back to you with an online second opinion

  • For help setting up the account etc, DL-CAS-Second-Opinion@stanfordhealthcare.org

  • Turnaround: Approx. 5-7 business days after all records received

  • NOTE: You can only ask a max of 5 questions, and you will have no direct phone conversation with the physician prior to them providing the second opinion - submit your 5 questions at the beginning of your case

  • Certain US states and certain countries may be excluded from this program due to regulatory constraints - if this happens, your fee will be refunded and you can still seek a second opinion via in-person consultation; US patients call 650-498-3333, International patients call 1-650-723-8561

Cleveland Clinic Second Opinions ranked 16th in US News and World Report

  • Cost: (self pay) Written Report $1,690 USD, Virtual Visit + Written Report $1,890 USD, Flat Fee for International Patients $2,500 USD

  • Phone: 866-887-1572 (registration)

  • Phone: 866-899-1131 (general info/FAQs)

  • Online Contact Form: https://www.clinicbyclevelandclinic.com/contact/

  • Begin registration for “The Clinic” by Cleveland Clinic here

  • Next you’ll be contacted for a ‘live intake session with a Care Manager’

  • Nurse Care Manager works with Chief Clinical Officer to assign you to one of 3500 Cleveland Clinic network physicians

  • Turnaround: 4-14 days after records received

  • BEFORE YOU BEGIN: Check to confirm whether virtual care is available in your state of residence here

  • Interesting stat: “67% of cases reviewed uncover potential diagnosis change or recommended treatment plan modification”

  • NOTE: The international patient info page returns a 404 error :frowning:

  • NOTE: The Clinic by Cleveland Clinic is a separate entity from The Cleveland Clinic, and services are not expected to be covered by health insurance, Medicare, etc. This is a joint venture owned by The Cleveland Clinic and Amwell, a Telehealth company.

New York Presbyterian (Cornell) Second Opinion Program ranked 3rd on US News and World Report

  • Cost: $800 USD (self pay) via credit or debit card - PROGRAM IS NOT OFFERED TO INTERNATIONAL PATIENTS

  • Phone (Included Health): 1-800-391-6920 (9am - 9pm EST)

  • BEFORE YOU BEGIN: Check to confirm whether virtual care is available in your state of residence here

  • Turnaround: 5 business days

  • Another partnership with Included Health makes this program possible - their team gathers your medical records and test results

  • You can see a sample second opinion report here (pretty basic)

  • Get started by creating an NYU/Included Health account here

  • Because this is an Included Health jam, you get to ask 5 questions that you submit up front

UCSF Health Second Opinion Program (UCSF Medical Center ranked 2nd on US News and World Report)

  • Cost: $900 USD (self pay) via major credit card, HSA or FSA

  • Turnaround: 7-10 days after records are received

  • Provided via partnership with Summus Health - FAQs here

  • Summus care coordination team will help gather records and coordinate care (or you can upload records to reduce turnaround time), and you’ll participate in an intake call

  • Written report only, no phone or video consultation included

  • If for some reason, specialist availability etc., UCSF/Summus cannot provide a second opinion, your fee will be refunded

Cedars Sinai Second Opinion Program ranked 5th on US News and World Report

  • Cost: $590 USD if you live in California, $790 USD if you live outside California (self pay or HSA, FSA)

  • Turnaround: 4-6 business days on average after receipt of records

  • To get started, click on Online Second Opinion for Neurology and Neurosurgery here and click box “I don’t see my condition” then type in “aneurysm” - you’ll have to enter your contact details to get more information

  • View a sample second opinion here

  • Seems like this is offered via partnership with a service like Included Health or Summus, but can’t tell for sure - process is similar - nurse coordinator will help collect your medical records or you can submit them yourself

  • You will however receive an included virtual education session with your doctor to review your second opinion report, which differs from many other programs where you get the report only, no physician access

UCLA Health Second Opinion, Neurosurgery Second Opinion Program ranked 6th on US News and World Report

  • Cost: Unknown, likely billable to insurance as chart is established (to be confirmed)

  • Secure videoconferencing with doc is included in this review (which is a differentiator)

  • Seems like this program may create a chart, establish new patient, and bill as Telehealth visit since they’re asking for insurance card, but not sure, the neurosurgery page says “fill out the form to become a patient” which means insurance may cover - also, depending on regulations, “a locally treating physician may need to be present”

  • Get started by filling out online form here

  • Patient Navigation team will provide secure links to upload reports/imaging

  • Links to outside hospital/docs via MyChart (so yep, this seems to confirm they are establishing you as a patient)

Massachusetts General Hospital Online Second Opinion Program ranked 8th on US News and World Report

  • Cost: $950 USD (self-pay) via credit card

  • Phone: 888-456-5003

  • Email: consultsinfo@partners.org

  • Turnaround: 2 weeks from receipt of records

  • Referring doctor MUST participate which is a differentiator; they will fill out a ‘referring physician letter’ form - this service is designed to be physician-to-physician as opposed to many of the other programs which are designed to be patient-to-physician

  • You or your doc can submit medical records for review OR you can use optional “Health Advocate” service for additional $265 USD fee

  • Start registration here - you’ll be asked to enter location as service not available in all states

Mount Sinai Hospital International Patient Second Opinion Program ranked 9th on US News and World Report

  • Cost: Fee varies, must start process to get estimate (self-pay via credit card)

  • You’ll fill out a few forms and submit them - medical records must be in English but translation services are available

Northwestern Medicine - Northwestern Memorial Hospital Second Opinion Program ranked 10th in US News and World Report

  • Cost: ?

  • Phone: 312-695-8143

  • Turnaround: ?

  • Seems to be in-person only second opinion program which establishes a chart and patient record and thus may be reimbursable under insurance

Houston General International Patients Second Opinion Program ranked 11th in US News and World Report

  • Cost: ? international health insurance, embassy sponsorship, or most likely self-pay via bank transfer or CC

  • Phone: +1-713-441-2340 (International Patients), 713-790-3333 (US Patients, please see note below)

  • NOTE: It looks like Houston Methodist used to provide an online second opinion program (6 yo Vimeo video). However, no current record of it exists online that I could find - link returns an error.

Penn Medicine Neurosurgery Second Opinion Program - Hospitals of the University of Pennsylvania - Penn Presbyterian ranked 13th in US News and World Report

Rush University Medical Center Neurosurgery Second Opinion Program, ranked 14th in US News and World Report

  • Cost: ?

  • Phone: 630-978-6770

  • Another one that seems to establish chart, create record of care rather than simply a separate virtual (only) offering.

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Wow Jen, great info for all newcomers as well as anyone looking to get a second opinion throughout care. You are relentless in all the right ways

I sought out my initial 3 (actually 4 but dropped one as they weren’t on the ball) opinions without telling anyone I was speaking to anyone else. Eventually the records will hit your chart, but I didn’t want one to influence another. I went to each as if they were first I spoke with and got their individual opinions and used their thoroughness in how they treated and educated me on my case, then chose my surgeon. I didn’t have any trouble doing virtual in that manner back in 2021. I don’t know if it has changed, but both Mayo and Johns Hopkins were virtual. The other 2 were my local and in person. All were ready to book follow up imaging immediately after consultation and I just told either their medical assistants or schedulers i was pursuing care elsewhere once i made my choice. I dropped a thank you to the surgeons for their time, briefly and politely explained my reasoning, and left a door open at that time.

Things may have changed and i know the second opinion route is different and somewhat awkward, so i simply curcumvented it.

I will say 6 angios and 3 surgeries later, i’ve never seen my surgeon in an office setting and we’ve talked A LOT in the last few years. The only time i entered his office building was to drop off a card. But i was always offered preappointments in person. Virtual or a quick call was just easier since i was travelling. In person i see him pre and post procedure in radiology, and of course in neuro ICU after endovascular flow diversion. So i would ask everywhere what your options are. I found most highly respectful of not making folks run all over or hop a plane to get a consult, so again, ask, ask, ask.

I did throw out a Barrows second opinion early on because it was cheap but i was unimpressed and didn’t count it. I think you get what you pay for. But lots of people swear by them so never say never. Its also a very small amount to pay for some added info.

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Oh, and i must add i have pretty good insurance…sadly that may limit options for some.

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Excellent information Jen! I do believe you’re addicted to research, more than me.

Thank you Judi for adding on to it, awesome!

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