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How Much Does Wrist Surgery Cost
Blog > Wrist Surgery Cost
Severe wrist pain can make work and daily activities like dressing and bathing a chore. If you’re considering surgery to reclaim your wrist function, strength, and mobility, you likely have questions: Is there a natural alternative? How long does it take to heal? And how much does wrist surgery cost? The answers depend on the complexity of the injury and the type of surgery necessary to repair it.
Understanding Wrist Surgery Costs
Before figuring out how much wrist surgery costs, you need to know the precise procedure planned. For instance, do you need a simple carpal tunnel release? This minimally invasive procedure relieves pressure on the median nerve in the wrist and is a simple, relatively inexpensive procedure with a short recovery time. Or is the joint severely compromised by degenerative arthritis, requiring total wrist arthroplasty? This complex, expensive surgery replaces the wrist joint with an artificial joint and requires highly skilled and experienced staff.
In addition to the type of procedure planned, the surgeon’s expertise and experience factor into the surgical costs, as do the anesthesia and facility fees. A full hospital will cost more than an outpatient surgical center, and location also significantly affects surgical costs.
Also, when researching how much wrist surgery costs, remember to factor in lab work, imaging, pain medications, and physical therapy.
What Causes Wrist Pain?
With so many factors to consider, the complexities of different types of insurance coverage further complicate the picture. For the sake of simplicity, let’s focus on how much wrist surgery costs without insurance. The following are estimates of the average costs across the country, according to MDsave.
Carpal tunnel release: $6,800 – $7,600
Wrist arthroscopy: $10,200 – $11,800
Tendon repair: $11,000 – $12, 800
Wrist fusion (arthrodesis): $22,000 – $24,000
Fracture repair: $22,000 – $24,500
Repair of wrist bone: $22,500 – 24,000
The wrist surgery costs listed above are national averages. Your actual costs will be affected by the factors discussed above, as well as your age, general health, and any potential complications.
Navigating Insurance Coverage
If you have insurance coverage for your surgery, you will pay less than the average wrist surgery prices discussed above. But the details of your coverage are key. Is the surgery deemed medically necessary or elective? That may affect how much your policy covers. Contact your insurance carrier to discuss the details.Â
When evaluating your insurance coverage for your wrist surgery, you must learn the following costs:
- Your deductible: The amount you pay before the insurance starts paying.
- Your copay: The fixed amount you must pay for a specific procedure.
- Your coinsurance: The cost percentage you must pay after meeting your deductible.
To maximize your insurance coverage and minimize out-of-pocket expenses, choose an in-network surgeon and facility and get your insurance carrier’s prior authorization for the procedure.
Financial Assistance Options
How much does wrist surgery cost? The one thing we can say for certain is that it is expensive.Â
If you’re struggling with the expense, there are some financing options available.Â
- Medical loans: Banks, credit unions, and some online lenders offer unsecured personal loans restricted to medical care costs.
- Medical credit cards: Credit cards like CareCredit or AccessOne Medcard are available for medical expenses only. They charge high-interest rates, so use them with care.
- Health savings accounts (HSAs): If you don’t have medical insurance, you may be able to open and use this type of tax-deductible savings account.
- Medical billing advocate: Rather than helping you pay your bills, this medical billing expert looks for ways to lower your bills by finding billing irregularities and errors. Some charge just a percentage of what they save you.
Making Informed Decisions About Wrist Surgery
Wrist surgery is a serious step with enormous implications for your health, employment, and finances. You deserve all the information necessary to make an informed decision. Don’t hesitate to question your doctor early on about the planned procedure and how much the wrist surgery costs. Inquire about any viable alternatives. Seek a second opinion and explore the possibility that regenerative medicine may alleviate your pain and restore your strength and mobility without surgery or drugs. It’s essential to know and understand your options.
The pain and expense of wrist surgery are significant disincentives, as is the likely need for physical therapy to recover wrist function, strength, and mobility. But consider the long-term benefits. Your choices concern more than pain and expense — they’re also about your quality of life.
Start budgeting for your wrist surgery while you’re fact-finding. Explore your financing options and investigate all the costs, including pre- and post-operative care, medication, physical therapy, and lost work. Contact the hospital or surgical facility to learn of any financial assistance programs they may offer.
Wrist Surgery Cost Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are there any alternatives to wrist surgery?
In some cases, depending on the wrist injury, surgery is the only option. However, in most cases, steroid injections can provide tremendous relief. And in most cases, regenerative wrist treatment can relieve pain, improve function, and increase mobility. This non-surgical, drug-free approach does not cause additional tissue damage, does not develop scar tissue, and does not involve the potential risks common with surgery.Â
What wrist conditions require surgery?
When wrist pain or dysfunction is so severe that it impairs daily living and cannot be remedied by physical therapy or other conservative treatment, surgery may be required. Surgery may address compressed or damaged nerves, fractured bones, torn or damaged ligaments or tendons, cartilage, or inflamed or damaged bursae.
Do you get a hard cast after wrist surgery?
Depending upon the type of wrist surgery you have, you will be discharged with a splint and bandage, a soft cast, or a hard cast to protect the surgical site while initial healing occurs. If you need to immobilize the site for four to six weeks, you will be given a hard cast.
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