Cost and Volume of Planned Knee and Hip Replacements Increased From 2010 to 2017

It’s no secret that the number of knee and hip replacement procedures has skyrocketed in the last decade and is projected to continue to increase throughout the next 10 years. As joint replacement surgery continues to be a solution for higher numbers of Americans suffering from osteoarthritis, it is important that new practices and better technology emerge as well.

A review of medical claims data from 2010 to 2017 published by Blue Cross Blue Shield Association showed an increase in cost and volume of planned knee and hip replacement procedures, with knee and hip replacements rising 17% and 33%, respectively.¹

According to a company press release, planned orthopedic surgeries accounted for 47% of total orthopedic spending in 2017, a 44% increase from 2010. The release noted that the main cost driver was the increase in the number of knee and hip procedures during this 7-year period.¹

The review showed location and setting had a direct impact on total cost, with knee and hip procedures performed in an outpatient setting is significantly lower in price vs. those performed in an inpatient setting. Overall, the review showed knee and hip replacement had an average price of $30,249 and $30,685, respectively, in an inpatient setting vs. $19,002 and $22,078, respectively, in an outpatient setting. Complication rates in an outpatient setting also improved by 23% for knee procedures and by 36% for hip procedures from 2013 to 2017, according to the release. However, despite these savings, the release noted 11% of knee procedures and 8% of hip procedures were performed on an outpatient basis in 2017.¹

Mark Talluto, Vice President of Strategy and Analytics at Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, said in the release “As a leader in health care, providing coverage for one in three Americans, we know access to quality healthcare is important to our members, particularly as Gen X Americans — those younger than 55 [years] — are also undergoing hip and knee replacement procedures at increasing rates across the country.”¹

The number of hip and knee replacement procedures it not projected to slow down as we forge into the 2020s. Orthopedic surgeon at UCI Health Hip & Knee Surgery Services, David So, MD, notes that it’s estimated that by 2030, the number of total knee replacements performed in the US will increase by more than 600 percent compared to 2005, while total hip replacements are expected to increase by almost 200 percent over the same time period. In addition to word of mouth, other factors for this increase include the facts that baby boomers are now senior citizens, our life expectancy keeps increasing and the obesity epidemic means we’re putting more wear and tear on these weight-bearing joints.²

The good news is, TracPatch has already begun being implemented across the United States to help address the challenges associated with increased volume and cost of hip and knee replacement procedures. TracPatch Surface Sensor Technology is a two-piece device that adheres to a patient’s leg above and below the knee following total knee surgery and continuously collects activity data including range of motion (ROM), exercise compliance, pain scores, PROM survey submissions, and ambulation, through a centralized patient application. The data is then sent to the cloud and shared with the patient’s healthcare provider through the healthcare provider app and web portal. TracPatch may be just the tool to help healthcare providers care for their patients remotely and more individually. For more information about TracPatch contact us today.

References

1. Cost, volume of planned knee, hip replacements increased from 2010 to 2017. (2019, January 23). Retrieved January 9, 2020, from https://www.healio.com/orthopedics/business-of-orthopedics/news/online/{640e854a-1f2a-4855-b8fa-8f4aa2d6d9a2}/cost-volume-of-planned-knee-hip-replacements-increased-from-2010-to-2017.
2. Why hip and knee replacements are on the rise. (2017, May 4) Retrieved January 9, 2020, from https://www.ucihealth.org/blog/2017/05/hip-knee-replacement