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The Cost of an ACL Injury

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Re: The Cost of an ACL Injury

#141

Post by lobe »

This is amazing to me. I am from Australia and did my ACL when I was 15, and the cost was around $3000. It was an overnight stay in hospital, the only costs not incurred for the actual surgery and operation were MRI's and physiotherapy. How that could cost 20x the amount in America, I could not possibly fathom.

It is always a struggle for me to understand how health insurance is such a major expense in America, but when relatively routine surgery such as an ACL repair costs that much, things are put into perspective.

Re: The Cost of an ACL Injury

#142

Post by ameen »

I ruptured my left ACL during the final year of our college during a cultural fest (in India). It was a complete tear and required surgery to return to normal knee movement (Instability due to knee cartilages tears/injuries suck, and lead to further secondary injuries).

I had to differ my surgery for a couple of months since we had our final exams and I had to walk with a brace and avoid injury-causing activities. The surgery at one of the leading hospitals in the country cost me around ~$3000 and was completely covered by my Health Insurance, the care I received was exceptional and I could see why "Medical tourism" to India is on the raise. The costs are mostly around 1/10 of what any procedure costs elsewhere.

P.S. Incidentally, I had a freak accident a few days back and I'm positive I tore one (or many) of my ligaments in the other knee, and I had just started training to run a marathon within the next year :( (Lady luck hates my knees)

Re: The Cost of an ACL Injury

#144

Post by thrownaway2424 »

rayiner wrote: post #82
dbuxton wrote: post #9

This is absolutely shocking to me. Had my ACL replaced in the UK privately about 8 years ago (no health insurance, paid out of pocket). Total cost was £3000 (+ £600 for initial scan). I could have got it done for free on the NHS but it would have messed up my term time at university. Like the OP I had meniscal tearing too so more or less directly comparable. (Although obviously 8 years is probably a long time in medi…

Medical liability costs are about $55 billion in the U.S., or about 2.4% of overall costs: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/medical-liab... . There are debates about how much "defensive medicine" adds to the cost, but those aren't all that relevant here since the costs presented are exclusive of additional tests, etc.

We know that liability is a non-factor, because in states with capped liability, health care costs have not responded.

Re: The Cost of an ACL Injury

#145

Post by chudi »

sp332 wrote: post #113
chudi wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I got my ACL replaced in Argentina and the cost including rehab was about U$S 3000 having one of the best insurance companies (about 120 U$S a month). If I wanted to use the public care, it could probably cost almost nothing. It always amazed me that in the US the health of a person is not a right and if you get hurt doing anything you have to pay huge fees.

How can you guarantee the health of a person? Doesn't that incentivize risky activities? If someone else will pay to stitch you up if you get injured, or cover your drugs if you get sick, or keep you going in your old age if you make terrible long-term lifestyle choices: wouldn't that skew the overall population toward cheaper, more convenient, or more fun decisions at the expense of the state?

I think that getting hurt or sick has enough pain or tragedy for itself and thats why people dont want to feel it.

If you hurt yourself and someone patchs you up, its not the same, my reconstructed knee will never feel the same as the other.

I think that you pose people that whant to benefit as much as they can from the state, and I think that I know noneone that does that, at least in health care, nobody wants to go the hospital

Re: The Cost of an ACL Injury

#146

Post by adamconroy »

There is a cost in not getting your ACL repaired. I waited 4 years (due to the fact that the buffoon physios / doctors I saw didn't diagnose it correctly) and put on 20kg in the interim because I stopped playing sport.

Re: The Cost of an ACL Injury

#147

Post by jwatte »

I'd like to see the actual negotiated rate the insurance company paid for those items. I'd be surprised if it was more than 40%, and perhaps it might be less?

It's quite bad that those who can afford it the least pay the highest(sticker) prices, though. If Obamacare fixes that one thing, it's done the US health care world good!

Re: The Cost of an ACL Injury

#148

Post by louischatriot »

The article ends with "this sector needs innovation". Even though it does, what it really needs is better (and tighter) regulation. The situation in the US (costs through the roof, a lot of people that can't get medical care), health is something that can't totally be left to the private sector.

Re: The Cost of an ACL Injury

#150

Post by dredmorbius »

DanBC wrote: post #30

So, I have a few questions. > Going in, I had anticipated that doctors would take the lion’s share of the costs. I was surprised when the facilities ended up being the dominant cost; over 40% of the total. Is that because you're paying for the cost of nurses here, rather than breaking that cost out elsewhere? > This centimeter-wide cutting machine cost $900 according to the price sheet. That seems to be a bit much. I…

I'm presuming CJD refers to Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease.

Sometimes it's preferable to spell out acronyms. Especially obscure ones, likely unfamiliar to the readership of a given site.

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