title: A comprehensive analysis of Medicare trends in utilization and hospital economics for total knee and hip arthroplasty from 2005 to 2011.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine annual Medicare utilization and hospital reimbursement rates for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA). A PearlDiver review of the entire Medicare database was conducted: 2,040,667 TKAs and 855, 899 THAs performed between 2005 and 2011 were identified. There was a +0.05% and +1.3% year over year growth in the utilization in hospital reimbursement for TKA and THA respectively. There has only been a modest increase in joint arthroplasty utilization for Medicare beneficiaries. Supply side issues, insurance mix and possible prior over-projection may explain this finding. Reimbursement trends suggest that joint arthroplasty may not be a major cost driver for the healthcare system.
authors.affiliation: Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Benedict U
authors.initials: BU
authors.lastname: Nwachukwu
authors.affiliation: Holy Cross Orthopedic Institute, Fort Lauderdale Florida.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: McCormick
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Matthew T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Provencher
authors.affiliation: Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roche
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Harry E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Rubash
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004469:Economics, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: United States; economics; medicare; total hip arthroplasty; total knee arthroplasty; utilization