Good article. Perhaps missing is the matter of patient experience. No blood transfusion, less time on the table under anaesthesia, better surgical precision, and almost immediate patient recovery. Been there done that. A good friend underwent the traditional retro-pubic open procedure, took 4 Hr and his post-op recovery was traumatic, then 1 week in hospital. No thanks. The extra $4K is a non-issue for such patients, if I want to pay with my after tax dollars whose concern is it ?!
PLESASE spare me our "free" health care bureaucracy - it is not the best as per propaganda !