5 Things to Know About the Cost for Knee Surgery by Howard Marans MD

Howard J. Marans, MD, discusses the cost for knee surgery.

Here are five things to know:

1. There are two main type of knee surgery: open knee surgery and arthroscopic knee surgery.

2. Open knee surgery is most commonly used to treat more extensive knee problems, such as total knee replacement for arthritis.

3. Arthroscopic surgery is a minimally invasive form of surgery that can be used to treat less extensive knee problems, like meniscus or ligament tears. It is preferable to use arthroscopic knee surgery whenever possible, due to its lower risk factors, shorter downtime and lesser costs.

4. There are several factors that can influence the cost of knee surgery:

• How high the local cost of living is
• Whether or not open knee surgery is used
• Whether or not a hospital stay is required
• How long it takes to perform the surgery
• How many resources the surgery takes to perform
• What the individual surgeon's rates are

5. Insurance covers orthopedic knee surgery costs because knee surgery is only used in cases where it is medically necessary, but the different insurance policies vary widely in the terms of their coverage.