Nobody wants to be hit with unexpected medical bills, and even when you know an expense is coming your way, it can cause financial strain if it’s larger than expected. We don’t want you to deal with financial stress while you’re working on your physical recovery after joint replacement, but this won’t happen by accident. You’ll need to be proactive if you want to minimize the financial impact of a joint replacement procedure. We share some tips for doing just that in today’s blog.
Preparing For The Cost Of Joint Replacement Surgery
There are a variety of factors that affect the individual cost of your joint replacement procedure, and even if you have great insurance coverage, you’ll still likely be on the hook for thousands of dollars. And while you can’t put a price on reduced pain and an increased quality of life, we don’t want patients to be severely affected by the financial side of a joint replacement procedure. To help minimize the cost of surgery on you and your family, keep some of the following tips in mind.
- Start Saving Early – We’re not saying that you need to create a joint replacement savings fund the moment you turn 18, but the need for a joint replacement procedure rarely sneaks up on someone. Symptoms tend to develop and worsen gradually over time, and if things aren’t getting better with the help of conservative treatment, there’s a good chance that you’d be an ideal candidate for a replacement procedure. If you’re over the age of 50 and dealing with joint issues, it doesn’t hurt to start squirreling some money away for a possible joint replacement or other medical care down the road. Don’t wait until you get a bill to start saving for the coming expenses.
- Talk With Your Insurance Company – Your insurance company may not be able to give you an exact amount, but they can give you ballpark estimates based on expected procedures and billing codes. This can help you get a better understanding of how much you may be on the hook for and allow you to adjust your finances accordingly.
- Payment Plan – Most insurance providers are more than happy to set patients up with a payment plan so long as they are slowly chipping away at the bill. See what type of payments plans are offered so that you can break up the cost of your procedure into more affordable payments over a longer period of time.
- Prehab – You are more likely to make a stronger and faster recovery after joint replacement if you come into surgery as healthy as possible, so talk with your surgeon about starting a prehabilitation program. A faster and stronger recovery means you’ll need less care at the surgery center or fewer physical therapy appointments, all of which will help to keep medical expenses down. Do some strength training exercises and mind your diet in the weeks and months leading up to your joint procedure so that you can hopefully cut down on post-op expenses.
- Give It Your All During Post-Op PT – Finally, really make it a point to follow your surgeon’s post-op recovery instructions and commit to your physical therapy program. Avoiding a setback can help to prevent additional medical costs associated with your joint replacement. Again, this will help minimize the financial impact of joint replacement on the backend. The harder you work during post-op physical therapy, the stronger your recovery will be, and that can limit how much additional care you may need in the future.
We’re confident that the financial side of joint replacement surgery can be mitigated with a little foresight and effort on your end, and we’re happy to help in any way we can. For more information, or for help with a knee or hip issue of your own, give Dr. Botero and his team a call today at (865) 558-4444.
