If you have a sports injury and need treatment, one of the first questions that comes up is of how much treatment might cost. Each case is unique, but there are some principles you can keep in mind as you seek treatment for your injury. Below, we will take a look at what you can expect in terms of sports medicine surgeon fees.

What Contributes to Sports Medicine Surgeon Fees

A variety of miscellaneous factors combine to result in the sports medicine surgeon fees associated with a particular procedure. Some of the most significant factors include:

• Doctors’ fees – The time the doctor spends performing the procedure is taken into account in sorts medicine surgeon fees.
• Staff – Other staff, such as nurses and OR techs, must also be paid for their role in the surgery.
• Anesthesia – Drugs used to produce conscious sedation or general anesthesia contribute to the cost.
• Anesthesiologist – If general anesthesia is used, an anesthesiologist will need to be present throughout the surgery.
• Operating room fees – It costs money to reserve the OR for surgery.
• Office maintenance – A small portion of the fees goes into the cost of general office maintenance, which costs more in areas with a higher cost of living.
• Materials – The cost of materials can be significant, especially if a prosthesis is used, such as in joint replacement surgery.

Insurance Coverage

Insurance does cover the cost of treatment, because orthopedic surgery is only used in cases where it is medically necessary. Therefore, the biggest factor that determines how much a patient ends up paying out-of-pocket is not the cost of the surgery itself, but rather the terms of the patient’s insurance coverage.

Some people who pay high premiums have very low deductible and very low copays. As a result, their out-of-pocket costs will be quite low even if the insurance company is billed for very high costs. Conversely, patients with a high deductible that has not yet been met, or patients with high copays, may pay as much as several thousand dollars out-of-pocket.

Managing the Cost of Surgery

For people with robust insurance coverage, managing the cost of surgery may be no issue. For people with a high deductible, it may not be possible to pay the entire cost of surgery at once. If that is the case, financing can be used to spread the cost of surgery out over a longer period of time. Financing options include third-party patient financing companies, credit cards, and health care credit cards.

If you have a sports injury, Dr. Howard Marans would be happy to hear from you. To schedule your consultation today, please click below and enter your information or call OC Orthopedic at (714) 979-8981.