Survey indicates that 80% of hip doctors have no idea how much a hip replacement costs

Earlier this month, the Washington Post reported that nearly 80% of doctors have no idea how much a hip replacement costs.  According to the Post, a survey of orthopedic surgeons showed that they knew very little about the costs associated with replacements. Only 21% of 503 physicians surveyed by seven major academic journals were able to correctly estimate the cost. Some of the guesses by doctors ranged from 1.8% of the actual price of a hip replacement to 24.6 times more than the actual price.

The Post reported, “Researchers could not release the actual costs because they signed nondisclosure agreements with the hospitals.”

“In orthopedic surgery, we’re never told how much things cost. We never see the cost displayed anywhere, and even if you were interested, there’s no great way to find it,” Kanu Okike, the lead author of the study and an orthopedic surgeon at Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center in Honolulu, told the Post.

Serious health issues including pain and swelling, tissue damage and Metallosis (metal poisoning) have been linked to the following metal hip implants:

• DePuy ASR
• Biomet M2A Magnum
• Stryker Rejuvenate
• Stryker AGB II

You may be entitled to compensation for your suffering and other unexpected medical expenses if you have been the victim of Stryker or Biomet hip implant side effects or the DePuy ASR hip implant recall. For more information, contact our injury lawyers toll free at (888)841-9623. Our firm offers confidential, no obligation consultations.

Zoll & Kranz, LLC – Metal Hip Replacement Device attorneys

ZKB’s ‘Did You Know?’: Medicare spends about $20 billion each year on implantable hip replacements.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/01/07/about-80-percent-of-hip-doctors-have-no-idea-how-much-a-hip-replacement-costs/