Dr Howard Marans: Is Knee Arthritis Treatment Covered By Insurance?

The symptoms of arthritis can negatively affect daily living routines. Arthritis creates pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints. When a person has arthritis in one or both knees, everyday activities become extremely difficult.

 

Knee Arthritis Treatment

Even though arthritis is incurable, finding options to manage the painful symptoms will aid in staying active. Various factors including the degree of degeneration will help determine the best type of knee arthritis treatment for each individual.

f:id:lorraineparker:20160317113924j:plain

 

Medical Insurance

The costs of knee arthritis treatment will vary with each person’s particular insurance policy coverage. Calling the medical insurance provider’s customer service representative will help determine the amount of coverage a patient has for knee arthritis treatment. Each health insurance policy is different. Specific guidelines for knee arthritis treatment may need to be followed for the utmost medical insurance coverage compensation.

  • Prior recommendation and referral from the family or primary physician
  • The orthopedic specialists must be within the medical insurance care network
  • Co-pays or deductibles may be part of the out of pocket costs as outlined in the insurance policy
  • Non-surgical measures may first need to be implemented prior to surgery costs coverage

 

Non-Surgical Options

Under many insurance policies, surgical options are often viewed as the last resort in knee arthritis treatment. An accurate diagnosis is the first step in determining the type of individualized knee arthritis treatment.

Unless the degree of degeneration is too severe, a patient will typically begin treatment with non-surgical options to relieve the symptoms.

  • Over the counter or prescription drugs to reduce inflammation and pain
  • Corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid injections
  • Weight management to help reduce the pressure and stress on the knee joints
  • Physical therapy to strengthen the muscles around the knee to help improve movement and flexibility
  • Walking aids or a cane to help support stability during movement
  • Knee brace to provide extra support

 

Surgical Options

If the non-surgical options do not yield the desired results, the next step in the knee arthritis treatment process is surgery. Knee joint replacement is one of the most effective methods used. The joint is removed and replaced with prosthesis. The costs vary with medical insurance guidelines and other contributing factors.

  • Geographic location
  • Length of hospital stay
  • Type of prosthesis used
  • Surgical approach
  • Pre-existing medical conditions that may require specialized care
  • Amount of time in the operating room
  • Anesthesia costs
  • Unanticipated medical care

Each component of treatment will add to one’s final medical expense. Without medical insurance or limited coverage, a knee joint replacement procedure could cost a patient over $50,000. Knowing the knee arthritis treatment options and following guidelines will help keep the costs manageable.

Located in Orange County, Dr. Howard Marans strives to return a patient back to a pain-free lifestyle. Dr. Marans will create an individualized knee treatment approach. Each step in the medical treatment program will be explained in great detail to allow the patient time to ask questions. Following each step of the patient’s progress, Dr. Marans will implement a precise execution for knee arthritis treatment approach.

READ: Knee Arthritis Treatment Provider