I haven’t updated about my progress since July and I realized that it’s been 6 months since my hip replacement surgery on July 1st.
First, I’m feeling GREAT! I used the cane through August and even into the first week of my school crossing guard job. It was mostly for security and a little help getting in and out of the car. By September I was just using it for getting out of bed in the morning for the first trip to the bathroom and kitchen and then I’d park it for the rest of the day. I knew I didn’t need it much anymore when I would forget it and realize I had left it in another room.
Early on I had been walking up and down my own block, first with DH or one of our sons with me, then alone. Our street was getting new gas lines and some of the sidewalks were torn up so I started walking at a local indoor track. At first I could only walk 1/4 of a mile with the cane and needed to take a break halfway, but very quickly I progressed to half a mile without the cane and no breaks. I try to go walking at the track 3 to 5 times a week and I’m now doing a mile easily. I’m aiming for increasing to 1.5 miles and then 2 miles.
I feel completely recovered except for steps. My hip pain had been so bad since about January of 2014 that I had been unable to do steps with both legs, I had been just using the left leg. After the hip replacement I can lift the right leg just as high as the left but climbing a step with the right was feeling like I was straining muscles. So I kept using the cane on steps at home or found an elevator when out. I’ve been working on this, using an adjustable exercise step at home, starting at about 2 inches and I’m up to 5 inches now. I practice a couple times a day and I can feel a difference. A normal sized step is about 7 inches so I will be there soon. Another thing I haven’t been able to do is get my right foot all the way up to my knee to put my sock on. So I still use my sock tool that I got for the recovery period. Not a bad compromise and like the steps, I think I’ll eventually be able to do this, too.
Once I accepted that I needed the hip replacement I was interested in how all this would turn out insurance-wise. I knew we’d reach our high deductible health plan maximum out of pocket limit, so I knew what our costs would be but I had no idea how much something like this costs in total. Is the retail cost 20K or 50K? What’s the negotiated rate on something like this? So here is a rough break down. Keep in mind we live in a low cost of living area and all our providers were in-network.
Here is the billed amount and the negotiated rate which we paid until our MOOP and then the insurance paid 100%
Initial evaluation and X-rays and radiologist reading - 1373 196
Pre op testing 911 438
Anesthesia 931 931
Hospital costs 30,119 25,534 (approx 85%)
-Private Room 2 nights - 2914
-Pharmacy - 619
-Ancillaries - 2068
-Implant - 13,357
-Lab - 168
-Radiology - 259
-Operating Room - 8724
-Physical Therapy - 1216
-Occupational Therapy - 794
Surgeons fee 7223 1463
Daily visit from hospital physician 272 161
Purchase walker 116 79
Home visits by RN (2) and Physical Therapists (7) 1735 990
3 week follow up visit with surgeon 120 15
3 week X-ray 576 36
3 week X-ray reading 55 19
7 week follow up visit 100 14
Total = 43531 29876
The anesthesiologist bill rate and negotiated rate are the same. I called to ask about this and they told me that they bill for the same services with the same insurance companies so often that they know what they will be paid and don’t bother with the retail vs negotiated amounts. That $931 was worth every penny!
All the hospital related costs seem reasonable, I was surprised by how low the negotiated amount was for some office visits and X-rays, etc. Not to worry, I drive by the surgeons office all the time and they just did an addition that doubled their office space and a major renovation.
Overall, I’m very glad that I did this. I didn’t realize how much my hip situation was holding me back. I’m very appreciative of little things like being able to reach my toes in the shower and just simple things like WALKING. The recovery was tough at times but my DH took very good care of me. Before the surgery we went to a “Hip and Knee Class” where you learn what to expect in recovery. The patient and their family member go together and a nurse and occupational therapist explained so much about what we needed and how it would all progress. It took a lot of the mystery out of the whole process.
So I'm looking forward to a much better 2015. I'm enjoying my walking and appreciate my shiny new hip every single day.
First, I’m feeling GREAT! I used the cane through August and even into the first week of my school crossing guard job. It was mostly for security and a little help getting in and out of the car. By September I was just using it for getting out of bed in the morning for the first trip to the bathroom and kitchen and then I’d park it for the rest of the day. I knew I didn’t need it much anymore when I would forget it and realize I had left it in another room.
Early on I had been walking up and down my own block, first with DH or one of our sons with me, then alone. Our street was getting new gas lines and some of the sidewalks were torn up so I started walking at a local indoor track. At first I could only walk 1/4 of a mile with the cane and needed to take a break halfway, but very quickly I progressed to half a mile without the cane and no breaks. I try to go walking at the track 3 to 5 times a week and I’m now doing a mile easily. I’m aiming for increasing to 1.5 miles and then 2 miles.
I feel completely recovered except for steps. My hip pain had been so bad since about January of 2014 that I had been unable to do steps with both legs, I had been just using the left leg. After the hip replacement I can lift the right leg just as high as the left but climbing a step with the right was feeling like I was straining muscles. So I kept using the cane on steps at home or found an elevator when out. I’ve been working on this, using an adjustable exercise step at home, starting at about 2 inches and I’m up to 5 inches now. I practice a couple times a day and I can feel a difference. A normal sized step is about 7 inches so I will be there soon. Another thing I haven’t been able to do is get my right foot all the way up to my knee to put my sock on. So I still use my sock tool that I got for the recovery period. Not a bad compromise and like the steps, I think I’ll eventually be able to do this, too.
Once I accepted that I needed the hip replacement I was interested in how all this would turn out insurance-wise. I knew we’d reach our high deductible health plan maximum out of pocket limit, so I knew what our costs would be but I had no idea how much something like this costs in total. Is the retail cost 20K or 50K? What’s the negotiated rate on something like this? So here is a rough break down. Keep in mind we live in a low cost of living area and all our providers were in-network.
Here is the billed amount and the negotiated rate which we paid until our MOOP and then the insurance paid 100%
Initial evaluation and X-rays and radiologist reading - 1373 196
Pre op testing 911 438
Anesthesia 931 931
Hospital costs 30,119 25,534 (approx 85%)
-Private Room 2 nights - 2914
-Pharmacy - 619
-Ancillaries - 2068
-Implant - 13,357
-Lab - 168
-Radiology - 259
-Operating Room - 8724
-Physical Therapy - 1216
-Occupational Therapy - 794
Surgeons fee 7223 1463
Daily visit from hospital physician 272 161
Purchase walker 116 79
Home visits by RN (2) and Physical Therapists (7) 1735 990
3 week follow up visit with surgeon 120 15
3 week X-ray 576 36
3 week X-ray reading 55 19
7 week follow up visit 100 14
Total = 43531 29876
The anesthesiologist bill rate and negotiated rate are the same. I called to ask about this and they told me that they bill for the same services with the same insurance companies so often that they know what they will be paid and don’t bother with the retail vs negotiated amounts. That $931 was worth every penny!
All the hospital related costs seem reasonable, I was surprised by how low the negotiated amount was for some office visits and X-rays, etc. Not to worry, I drive by the surgeons office all the time and they just did an addition that doubled their office space and a major renovation.
Overall, I’m very glad that I did this. I didn’t realize how much my hip situation was holding me back. I’m very appreciative of little things like being able to reach my toes in the shower and just simple things like WALKING. The recovery was tough at times but my DH took very good care of me. Before the surgery we went to a “Hip and Knee Class” where you learn what to expect in recovery. The patient and their family member go together and a nurse and occupational therapist explained so much about what we needed and how it would all progress. It took a lot of the mystery out of the whole process.
So I'm looking forward to a much better 2015. I'm enjoying my walking and appreciate my shiny new hip every single day.
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