The study estimated that in 2016 there would only be enough orthopedic surgeons to perform 54 percent of all needed hip replacements and 18 percent of all needed knee arthroplasties.
On the demand side, baby boomers would be entering ages when joint replacements are common and a rise in obesity would exacerbate that trend, according to the senior author of the study, Thomas K. Fehring, MD, from OrthoCarolina in Charlotte, N.C.,
On the supply side, a 60 percent decline in reimbursements since 1990 (in inflation-adjusted dollars) means that fewer young surgeons are entering the field to replace retiring orthopedic surgeons, Dr. Fehring said.
“Wait times of one to two years may ensue, which will be unacceptable to the general public,” he told Reuters.
Asked for a solution to the problem, Dr. Fehring suggested that the CMS set aside its prohibition against balance billing and allow physicians to charge Medicare patients extra for joint replacements, thereby luring more young doctors into orthopedics.
