Funding Your Hip or Knee Replacement
Having an arthritic joint is no fun. As if it’s not enough to put up with the pain, the joint is often unreliable and it makes many daily activities difficult and, at times, impossible. Dr Jonathan Young offers different options to fund your surgery.
The public health system
The NSW public hospital system offers an excellent service, however there are often long waits for consultation and surgery. Treatment at John Hunter Hospital through the Orthopaedic Clinics is entirely cost free. Dr Young personally supervises every hip and knee replacement performed under his care and is scrubbed in during the operation. In the public hospital system Dr Young performs the operation or he assists a trainee surgeon (the Registrar) to do the operation.
Fund your surgery through a health fund
Patients can join a health fund at any time. Australian health funds will insure citizens regardless of their age and pre-existing health conditions. However, if you join a health fund with the view of pursuing a hip or knee replacement you must remember that there are usually qualifying periods of at least 12 months.
Generally, health funds have various tiers of insurance and if contemplating joint replacement, you must make sure the level joined covers hip or knee replacement. The Medical Benefit Schedule (MBS) numbers for hip and knee replacements are 49318 and 49518 respectively.
Dr Jonathan Young uses the known gap products provided by the funds, leaving out of pocket costs for insured patients between zero and $500, depending on the fund.
nib Clinical Partners program
Dr Jonathan Young is one of five select orthopaedic surgeons in the nib Clinical Partners Program. The participating surgeons have committed to performing hip and knee joint replacement surgery for nib members, with no out-of-pocket expenses above their hospital excess.
Self-funded
Patients without private health insurance can also self-fund their surgery in a private hospital. Dr Young performs the surgery and provides the aftercare.
The cost of hip replacements for self-funding patients can be as low as $16,000, inclusive of all fees. This figure includes three nights’ accommodation; fees for Dr Young, the anaesthetist and assistants; the cost of the prosthesis used; and the theatre fee. The components of the joint replacement are the same, high quality Swiss components that Dr Young uses normally. Most patients leave the day after their surgery thereby saving two nights’ accommodation, usually costing approximately $900 per night.
Knee replacements are slightly more expensive as the components are more costly. Dr Young’s fee is the same for both procedures.
Book your appointment
Seeking a treatment that’s right for you? Arrange a consultation with Dr Jonathan Young today. Call 02 4958 7777 or make an enquiry below.
