Orthopedic Specialty Care:
Changing Lives One Patient at a Time
Changing Lives One Patient at a Time
Surgeons Who Perform Total Joint Replacement Have Been Hit Especially Hard
Source: Hariri S, Bozic KJ, Lavernia C, Prestipino A, Rubash H, "Medicare Physician Reimbursement: Past, Present, and Future," JBJS (Am) 2007; 89:2536-2546.
| Procedure | 1992 Medicare Physician Payment | 2007 Medicare Physician Payment | Change | Inflation-adjusted Change |
| Total knee replacement | $1816 | $1465 | -19% | -44% |
| Total hip replacement | $1697 | $1361 | -20% | -44% |
| Revision total hip replacement | $2215 | $1862 | -16% | -42% |
| Revision total knee replacement | $2123 | $1689 | -20% | -45% |
The Need for Orthopedic Specialty Care
- A Growing Need for Specialty Orthopedic Care
- Millions of Americans Suffer From Bone and Joint Disorders
- Americans With Arthritis and Joint Pain
- 50% of Americans 65 and Over Will Experience Arthritis
- The Number of Americans Suffering From Arthritis Will Continue to Grow
- Bone and Joint Disorders Impair Daily Activities More Than Other Medical Conditions
- Demand for Total Joint Replacements Expected to Accelerate Through 2030
The Cost of Orthopedic Disorders
- 437 Million Work Days Lost (52%) Due to Arthritis and Bone Pain
- Earnings Loss for Persons Aged 18-64 with Bone and Joint Diseases and a Work History
- Cost of Bone and Joint Disease is Rising as a Percentage of U.S. GDP
- Prescription Medications for Bone and Joint Pain Increased over 50% from 1998-2004
Patient Access to Orthopedic Specialists
- As Demand for Care Grows, the U.S. Faces a Future Shortage of Physicians
- Orthopedic Surgeons per 100,000 Americans Growing at Only 1.1% per Year
- As Patients Approach Retirement Age, So Do Their Orthopedic Surgeons
- How Medicare Policies May Limit Access to Specialty Care
- Orthopedic Surgeons are Paid Less Today Than in 1992
- Medicare Will Drastically Cut Physician Pay, While Practice Expenses Continue to Rise
- Surgeons Who Perform Total Joint Replacement Have Been Hit Especially Hard
- Expected Future Cuts in Physician Fees
The Value of Orthopedic Surgery
- Knee Replacement Surgery Costs 66% Less Than Non-Surgical Intervention
- Patients Get Many More Quality Years After Knee Replacement Surgery Than With Non-Surgical Intervention
- Hip Replacement Surgery Costs 81% Less Than Non-Surgical Intervention
- Patients Get Many More Quality Years After Hip Replacement Surgery Than With Non-Surgical Intervention