Patient Perceptions of Surgeon Reimbursement in Total Ankle Arthroplasty

Introduction. The incidence of total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) for ankle osteoarthritis has increased in the Medicare population by approximately 16.37% each year. This study examines the patient perception of orthopedic surgeon reimbursement for TAA by Medicare. Methods. A total of 78 patients were surveyed anonymously at 2 foot and ankle clinics within an academic health care setting. The surveys were given anonymously before the patients were seen by an orthopedic surgeon. Surveys were returned to office staff who placed them in a collection box to ensure confidentiality. Results. The average estimate of how much orthopedic surgeons should be reimbursed for TAA was $19 506 and the average estimate of how much orthopedic surgeons were actually reimbursed was $20 772. Fifty patients believed that orthopedic surgeons were under reimbursed, 9 believed that they were reimbursed appropriately, and 19 were unsure. Demographic variables such as age, sex, education level, income, and insurance status had no significant effect on the results. Conclusions. Most patients believed orthopedic surgeons are under reimbursed for TAA and that there is a lack of health care transparency regarding orthopedic reimbursement for TAA by Medicare.