Aims. There is concern that aggressive target pricing in the new Bundled Payment for Care Improvement Advanced (BPCI-A) penalizes high-performing groups that had achieved low costs through prior experience in bundled payments. We hypothesize that this methodology incorporates unsustainable downward trends on Target Prices and will lead to groups opting out of BPCI Advanced in favour of a traditional fee for service. Methods. Using the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) data, we compared the Target Price factors for hospitals and physician groups that participated in both BPCI Classic and BPCI Advanced (legacy groups), with groups that only participated in BPCI Advanced (non-legacy). With rebasing of Target Prices in 2020 and opportunity for participants to drop out, we compared retention rates of hospitals and physician groups enrolled at the onset of BPCI Advanced with current enrolment in 2020. Results. At its peak in July 2015, 342 acute care hospitals and physician groups participated in Lower Extremity Joint Replacement (LEJR) in BPCI Classic. At its peak in March 2019, 534 acute care hospitals and physician groups participated in LEJR in BPCI Advanced. In January 2020, only 14.5% of legacy hospitals and physician groups opted to stay in BPCI Advanced for LEJR. Analysis of Target Price factors by legacy hospitals during both programmes demonstrates that participants in BPCI Classic received larger negative adjustments on the Target Price than non-legacy hospitals. Conclusion. BPCI Advanced provides little opportunity for a reduction in cost to offset a reduced Target Price for efficient providers, as made evident by the 85.5% withdrawal rate for BPCI Advanced. Efficient providers in BPCI Advanced are challenged by the programme’s application of trend and efficiency factors that presumes their cost reduction can continue to decline at the same rate as non-efficient providers. It remains to be seen if reverting back to Medicare fee for service will support the same level of care and quality achieved in historical bundled payment programmes. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2021;103-B(6 Supple A):119–125

Aims. Medical comorbidities are a critical factor in the decision-making process for operative management and risk-stratification. The Hierarchical Condition Categories (HCC) risk adjustment model is a powerful measure of illness severity for patients treated by surgeons. The HCC is utilized by Medicare to predict medical expenditure risk and to reimburse physicians accordingly. HCC weighs comorbidities differently to calculate risk. This study determines the prevalence of medical comorbidities and the average HCC score in Medicare patients being evaluated by neurosurgeons and orthopaedic surgeon, as well as a subset of academic spine surgeons within both specialities, in the USA. Methods. The Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Database, which is based on data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ National Claims History Standard Analytic Files, was analyzed for this study. Every surgeon who submitted a valid Medicare Part B non-institutional claim during the 2013 calendar year was included in this study. This database was queried for medical comorbidities and HCC scores of each patient who had, at minimum, a single office visit with a surgeon. This data included 21,204 orthopaedic surgeons and 4,372 neurosurgeons across 54 states/territories in the USA. Results. Orthopaedic surgeons evaluated patients with a mean HCC of 1.21, while neurosurgeons evaluated patients with a mean HCC of 1.34 (p < 0.05). The rates of specific comorbidities in patients seen by orthopaedic surgeons/neurosurgeons is as follows: Ischemic heart disease (35%/39%), diabetes (31%/33%), depression (23%/31%), chronic kidney disease (19%/23%), and heart failure (17%/19%). Conclusion. Nationally, comorbidity rate and HCC value for these Medicare patients are higher than national averages for the US population, with ischemic heart disease being six-times higher, diabetes two-times higher, depression three- to four-times higher, chronic kidney disease three-times higher, and heart failure nine-times higher among patients evaluated by orthopaedic surgeons and neurosurgeons. Cite this article: Bone Joint Open 2020;1-6:257–260

Aims. The optimal choice of management for proximal humerus fractures (PHFs) has been increasingly discussed in the literature, and this work aimed to answer the following questions: 1) what are the incidence rates of PHF in the geriatric population in the USA; 2) what is the mortality rate after PHF in the elderly population, specifically for distinct treatment procedures; and 3) what factors influence the mortality rate?. Methods. PHFs occurring between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2019 were identified from the Medicare physician service records. Incidence rates were determined, mortality rates were calculated, and semiparametric Cox regression was applied, incorporating 23 demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic covariates, to compare the mortality risk between treatments. Results. From 2009 to 2019, the incidence decreased by 11.85% from 300.4 cases/100,000 enrollees to 266.3 cases/100,000 enrollees, although this was not statistically significant (z = -1.47, p = 0.142). In comparison to matched Medicare patients without a PHF, but of the same five-year age group and sex, a mean survival difference of -17.3% was observed. The one-year mortality rate was higher after nonoperative treatment with 16.4% compared to surgical treatment with 9.3% (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.29, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23 to 1.36; p < 0.001) and to shoulder arthroplasty with 7.4% (HR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.33 to 1.58; p < 0.001). Statistically significant mortality risk factors after operative treatment included age older than 75 years, male sex, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cerebrovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, a concomitant fracture, congestive heart failure, and osteoporotic fracture. Conclusion. Mortality risk factors for distinct treatment modes after PHF in elderly patients could be identified, which may guide clinical decision-making. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2023;12(2):103–112

INTRODUCTION. In the United States, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services consider rates of unplanned hospital readmissions to be indicators of provider quality. Understanding the common reasons for readmission following total joint arthroplasty will allow for improved standards of care and better outcomes for patients. The current study seeks to evaluate the rates, reasons, and Medicare costs for readmission after total hip and total knee arthroplasty. METHODS. This study used the Limited Data Set (LDS) from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to identify all primary, elective Total Knee Arthroplasties (TKA) and Total Hip Arthroplasties (THA) performed from January 2013 through June 2016. The data were limited to Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) 470, which is comprised of major joint replacements without major complications or comorbidities. Readmissions were classified by corresponding DRG. Readmission rates, causes, and associated Medicare Part A payments were aggregated over a ninety-day post-discharge period for 804,448 TKA and 409,844 THA. RESULTS. There were 31,172 readmissions in the ninety days following THA, for a readmission rate of 7.6%. There were 51,768 readmissions following TKA, for a readmission rate of 6.4%. The leading causes of readmission post-THA were revision of hip or knee replacement (17.66%); septicemia (4.76%); and postoperative infections (3.74%). The most common reasons for readmission post-TKA were postoperative infections (6.42%); septicemia (4.84%); and esophagitis (3.85%). In contrast to THA, implant revisions only accounted for 2.51% of readmissions after TKA. The mean cost of readmission post-THA was $11,682, while the mean cost of readmission post-TKA was $8,955. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION. Ninety-day readmission rates for both THA and TKA remained stable for the duration of the study period, suggesting the need for additional research on the efficacy of various programs intended to reduce the incidence of readmission

Background. Cementless femoral fixation in total hip arthroplasty (THA) continues to rise worldwide, accompanied by the increasing abandonment of cemented femoral fixation. Cementless fixation is known to contribute to higher rates of post-operative complications and reoperations. New data is available from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding total costs of care from the Bundled Payment for Care Improvement (BPCI) and Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) initiatives. Questions/purposes. How does femoral fixation affect (1) 90-day costs; (2) readmission rates; (3) re-operation rates; (4) length of stay (LOS); and (5) discharge disposition for Medicare patients undergoing elective or non-elective THA?. Methods. We performed a retrospective review of 1671 primary THA cases in Medicare patients across nine hospitals in an academic healthcare network. CMS data was used to evaluate lump costs including the surgical admission and 30-day or 90-day post-operative episodes. Costs were then correlated with clinical outcome measures from review of our electronic medical record. Demographic differences were present between the cemented and cementless cohorts. Statistical analyses were performed including multiple regression models adjusted for the baseline cohort differences. Results. After controlling for confounding variables, cemented patients were significantly more likely to be discharged home compared to cementless patients. Cemented femoral fixation also demonstrated a trend towards lower costs, fewer readmissions and shorter LOS. All of the reoperations within the early postoperative period occurred in cementless patients. Conclusion. In a large Medicare population, cemented femoral fixation outperformed cementless fixation with respect to discharge disposition and also trended toward superiority with regards to LOS, readmission, cost of care, and reoperations. Cemented femoral fixation remains relevant and useful despite the rising popularity of cementless fixation. Orthopaedic surgeons in training should become competent with femoral cementation technique

Introduction. Previous registry studies of ceramic-on-polyethylene (C-PE) and ceramic-on-ceramic (COC) have focused on revision outcomes following primary surgery. Less is known about the effect of ceramic bearings on infection, dislocation, and mortality as outcomes following primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) for the Medicare population. We asked (1) does the use of C-PE bearings influence outcomes following THA as compared with metal-on-polyethylene (M-PE); and (2) does the use of COC bearings influence outcomes following THA as compared with M-PE?. Methods. A total of 315,784 elderly Medicare patients (65+) who underwent primary THA between 2005 and 2014 with known bearing types were identified from the Medicare 100% inpatient sample administrative database. Outcomes of interest included relative risk of 90-day readmission, infection, dislocation, revision, or mortality at any time point after primary surgery. Propensity scores were developed to adjust for selection bias in the choice of bearing type at index primary surgery. Cox regression incorporating propensity score stratification (10 levels) was then used to evaluate the impact of bearing surface selection on outcomes, after adjusting for patient-, hospital-, and surgeon-related factors. Results. For primary THA patients treated with C-PE bearings and COC bearings, there was significantly reduced risk of infection relative to M-PE bearings (C-PE Hazard Ratio, HR: 0.86, p=0.001; COC Hazard Ratio, HR: 0.74, p=0.01). For the C-PE cohort, we also observed reduced risk of 90-day readmission (HR: 0.94, p<0.001); dislocation (HR: 0.81, p<0.001); and mortality (HR: 0.92, p<0.001). There was no significant difference in risk of revision for either the C-PE or COC bearing cohorts when compared with M-PE. For the COC cohort, there was no significant difference in readmission, dislocation, or mortality risk. Conclusions. The results indicate that, after adjusting for selection bias and various confounding patient-, surgeon-, and hospital-related factors, Medicare patients treated with primary THA with ceramic bearings exhibit lower risk of infection than those treated with M-PE bearings. In addition, C-PE bearings were associated with lower risk of dislocation and mortality. As in previous registry studies, we found that ceramic bearings have similar revision risk as M-PE bearings in primary THA at between 8 and 9 years of follow-up. The findings of this study support further research into the long-term association between ceramic bearings in primary THA and clinical outcomes

Introduction. Previous studies of ceramic-on-polyethylene (C-PE) and ceramic-on-ceramic (COC) hip bearings have focused on outcomes following primary surgery. Less is known about the utilization or outcomes of ceramic bearings in revision total hip arthroplasty (R-THA) for the Medicare population in the US. We asked (1) what is the utilization of ceramic bearings for R-THA in the Medicare population and how has it evolved over time; (2) does the use of C-PE bearings influence outcomes following R-THA as compared with metal-on-polyethylene (M-PE); and (3) does the use of COC bearings influence outcomes following R-THA as compared with M-PE?. Methods. A total of 31,809 Medicare patients (aged > 65y) who underwent R-THA between 2005 and 2013 with known bearing types were identified from the Medicare 100% inpatient sample administrative database. Outcomes of interest included relative risk of readmission (90 days) or infection, dislocation, rerevision, or mortality at any time point after revision. Propensity scores were developed to adjust for selection bias in the choice of bearing type at revision surgery. Cox regression incorporating propensity score stratification (10 levels) was then used to evaluate the impact of bearing surface selection on outcomes, after adjusting for patient-, hospital-, and surgeon-related factors. Results. The utilization of C-PE and COC bearings in RHA increased from 5.3% to 26.6% and from 1.8% to 2.5% between 2005 and 2013, respectively. For R-THA patients treated with C-PE bearings, there was reduced risk of 90-day readmission (Hazard Ratio, HR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.84–0.96, p=0.007). We also observed a trend for reduced risk of infection with C-PE (HR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.74–1.04) that did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.14). For R-THA patients treated with COC, there was reduced risk of dislocation (Hazard Ratio, HR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.58–0.99, p=0.04). There was no significant difference in risk of rerevision or mortality for either the C-PE or COC bearing cohorts when compared with M-PE. Discussion. The results indicate that, after adjusting for selection bias and various confounding patient-, surgeon-, and hospital-related factors, Medicare patients treated in a revision scenario with ceramic bearings exhibit similar risk of rerevision, infection, or mortality as those treated with M-PE bearings. Conversely, we found an association between the use of specific ceramic bearings in R-THA and reduced risk of readmission (C-PE) and dislocation (COC). The findings of this study support further research into the association between ceramic bearings in R-THA and lower risk of hospital readmission, dislocation, and, potentially, infection

Introduction. Pressure to control health care costs may limit the ability of new implants to enter the market. Customized individually made (CIM) knee implants are produced from CT scans of each patient and may result in improved clinical outcomes based on early data showing less blood loss, reduced bone resection, and better implant function and alignment. Limited economic evidence suggests that the use of CIM technology may result in cost savings, particularly when post-discharge expenses are included. The purpose of this study was to evaluate real-world cost data to determine episode spending in a Medicare population receiving either CIM or off-the-shelf (OTS) implants. Methods. The Yale Center for Musculoskeletal Care and Baker Tilly Healthcare Management reviewed episode expenditures among Medicare beneficiaries who received CIM and OTS implants for TKA between 01/01/2015 and 12/31/2015. Episode costs included the pre-operative CT scan, index TKA procedure, and 12-month post-index spending for inpatient (IP), outpatient (OP), emergency room (ER), skilled nursing facility (SNF), and home health (HH) services. CIM patients were identified through a matching process utilizing de-identified patient demographic and procedural information and the presence of a CT scan 28–365 days before index. OTS patients included those without a CT scan within one year of index. CIM and OTS cohorts were propensity matched to produce comparable cohorts at a one-to-five ratio based on age range, gender, race, geographical location, and comorbidities. Average expenditure was used to calculate one-year costs of care differences between the CIM and the OTS technologies. A Generalized Linear Model (GLM) and two-part model (logistics and GLM) were used to test statistical significance. Results. The study included 4,434 patients (CIM: 739, OTS: 3,695). CIM index hospital expenses were 6.5% less than OTS (CIM: $11,579; OTS: $12,386, p<0.0001). CIM patients were 37.5% less likely to incur SNF costs than OTS patients (CIM: 3.0% vs. OTS: 4.8%; p=0.0241) and had 45.1% lower average SNF expenditures (CIM: $8,882 vs. OTS: $16,183; p=0.0236). There was no difference in the probability of incurring post-index IP costs (CIM: 15.7% vs. OTS: 15.4%; p=0.9437) but average post-index IP expenditures were 27.2% lower among the CIM cohort than OTS (CIM: $12,817 vs. OTS: $17,605; p=0.0008). However, CIM patients were 10.5% more likely to incur OP costs (CIM: 90.9% vs. OTS: 85.7%; p=0.0005) and had 6.1% higher average OP expenditures (CIM: $2,328 vs. OTS: $2,106; p=0.0377). Average 12-month episode spending for the CIM cohort was 8.4% less than the OTS cohort ($1,697 Difference; CIM: $18,585 vs. OTS: $20,280; p<0.0001). Conclusion. Study findings demonstrate that the use of CIM technology can result in significant 12-month episode savings among a Medicare population. The average expenditure differences noted for post-index IP, SNF, and OP cost categories suggest there are differences in required post-operative treatment across the two cohorts. Savings calculated in the analysis is a meaningful reduction for payers. Providers may also benefit from index and episode cost savings through shared savings arrangements. CIM technology should be considered as a method to reduce TKA episode spending

PURPOSE:. Medicare intermediary denial of primary joint replacements has become common over the past couple of years. Our community hospital had a marked increase in denials following the assignment of a new intermediary. Our purpose is to document the initial impact of these denials. METHODS:. A retrospective review of the first 361 Medicare total joints (181 hips and 180 knees) after a new intermediary began processing claims was performed. Initial denial rate, positive response rate to first appeal, as well as delay in payments because of these denials were documented. RESULTS:. 42 hips (23%) and 47 knees (26%) were initially denied. Following submission of more documentation by hospital and surgeons, 38% of hips and 34% of knees were subsequently approved. Secondary appeals are now being processed, and those will be included. Average time to hospital payment in cases that were not appealed was 18.3 days. Those paid after first appeal averaged a time to payment of 126.1 days. CONCLUSION:. A new intermediary increased our denial rate from 0 to greater than 20 percent and significantly (p < 0.05) increased our time to payment. Importantly, the hospital has still not been paid for 60% of initial denials (just under 16% of all claims). SIGNIFICANCE: Third party intermediaries can place financial strain on hospitals by aggressive interpretation of Medicare rules

Introduction. Total Hip Arthroplasty has been shown to have excellent long term outcomes, yet early reoperation remains a risk. The current study assesses the incidence, causes, and cost associated with early revision following elective primary THA in the US Medicare population. Methods. The study used the Limited Data Set (LDS) from the Centers for Medicate and Medicaid Services (CMS) to identify all primary THA (DRG 469/470) performed in the US (excluding Maryland) during 2016. All cases were followed for one year after the original date of operation to create a database of readmissions after surgery. These data allowed for the determination of the 1-year incidence and type of reoperation, the timing of reoperation, the admitting diagnosis, hospital utilization, and total cost. Results. There were 164,050 THA performed on Medicare patients in the US in 2016. After surgery, there were 24,728 associated readmissions during the 1-year follow-up, or a readmission rate of 15.1%. There were 5,646 readmissions with a procedure performed on the hip; this represents 23% of the total 1-year readmissions after surgery, or a reoperation rate of 3.4%. Admission for reoperation was the most common reason for readmission following elective primary THA. When looking at reoperations, fracture was the most common (41.69%). 45% of reoperations occur within the first 30 days, 74% of reoperations occur within the first 90 days, and 26% of reoperations occur between days 90 and 360. For reoperations, a primary diagnosis of infection was associated with the highest average total cost ($104,024). Conclusions. Revision after THA is both a frequent occurance and expensive one. Fractures are the most common diagnoses that lead to revision, followed by dislocation. Increased focus to reduce complications such as fracture and dislocation would have the most beneficial impact on the patient, as well as on the healthcare system. For any tables or figures, please contact the authors directly

INTRODUCTION. Evolving payment models create new opportunities for assessment of patient care based on total cost over a defined period of time. These models allow for analyses of economic data that was previously unavailable and well beyond our familiar studies which typically include length of stay, surgical complications, and post-operative clinical and radiographic assessments. In the United States, the new Federal program entitled TheBundled Payment for Care Initiative created new opportunities for the assessment of surgical interventions. The purpose of the reported study was to assess the total reimbursement for care as a function of surgical technique in primary total hip arthroplasty (THA). METHODS. The total reimbursement for services performed following primary THA for patients insured by Medicare was analyzed for a group of patients at a single institution during the fiscal years of 2013 and 2014. The population included data on 356 patients who had surgery performed by seven surgeons who used the same pre-operative education, OR, PACU, PT, nursing, and case management. A total of 38 “pre-selected” patients underwent THA by an anterior exposure, 219 had surgery performed by a posterior exposure, and 99 had surgery performed by the superior exposure utilizing mechanical surgical navigation (HipXpert System, Surgical Planning Associates, Boston, MA). Reimbursement for all in-patient and out-patient services performed over the initial 90-day period from sugeical admission was compared across surgical techniques. Reimbursement includes the sum of all payments including the hospital, physicians, skilled nursing facilities, home care, out-patient care, and readmission. RESULTS. The authors previously reported that primary THA cases performed using the superior approach have shorter average length of stay, a lower complication rate, higher percentage of acetabular components within the “safe zone” when compared to the other approaches and higer rate of patients discharged directly to home. An average reimbursement of $24,848 for THA performed using posterior exposure, $21,446 for the selected anterior exposure, and $20,268 for the superior exposure with navigation. The cost of care for treatment by the superior exposure with navigation was statistically significantly less than the posterior exposure (p<0.001) but not significantly less than the selected anterior exposure patients (p=0.287). Medicare in-patient reimbursements for patients treated by the superior exposure with mechanical surgical navigation was significantly less than the selected anterior exposure group (p<0.002) and the posterior exposure group (p<0.001). Overall, 84% of patients with the superior exposure were discharged directly to home versus 69% in the selected anterior group and 60% in the posterior group thus minimizing the out-patient Medicare cost burden in THA performed using the superior exposure over the other techniques. CONCLUSION. The current study demonstrates the influence of surgical technique on the direct reimbursement for the continuum of care, indicative of incurred costs, across the first 90-day post-operative period. The superior exposure combined with surgical navigation demonstrates the potential for significantly reduced total cost burden in Medicare patients when compared to two of the most common surgical approaches used for primary THA

INTRODUCTION. Early discharge after total joint arthroplasty has started to gain acceptance in select academic centers. The purpose of this study was to compare the risk of readmission of Medicare patients discharged one day after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), versus those discharged two or three days after surgery. Our hypothesis was that patients with length of stay (LOS) of one day would not have a higher risk of readmission in a community setting. METHODS. A hospital impatient database was queried for all unilateral, primary total knee replacements performed on patients 65 years or older from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2014. A total of 1,117 patients discharged the day after TKA (reduced LOS) were compared with 947 patients discharged POD #2 or 3 (traditional LOS). All cases were performed at a community-based joint replacement center with rapid recovery protocols. Discharge timing and disposition were based on established functional benchmarks judged by physical therapy. The main outcome measure was all-cause 30-day readmissions. Multivariate logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratio for all cause 30-day readmission for reduced versus traditional LOS while controlling for age, gender, race, diabetes mellitus, ASA score (less than 3 versus 3 or greater), discharge disposition (home versus rehab). RESULTS. The 30-day readmission rate for the reduced LOS group was 1.2%, as compared to 3.4% readmission rate for the traditional LOS group (p=.001). In the regression model, the traditional LOS group had an increased risk of readmission (odds ratio 2.10, 95% CI 1.02–4.35, p=0.045) when controlling for confounding factors. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. Medicare patients can be discharged safely the day after total knee arthroplasty with no increased risk of 30-day readmission in a community medical center

Computer navigation in total joint arthroplasty has been shown to be effective in improving the radiographic outcome in patients undergoing both hip and knee arthroplasty. However, critics have argued that the required capital equipment and added time to perform the procedure is cost prohibitive. To test this hypothesis, we compared our hospital discharge experience with computer navigation to national standards published by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality for the years 2004 and 2005. In the AHRQ database the average length of stay for DRG 209 in 2004 and 2005 respectively, in the Midwest region was 4.6 days and 4.3 days, with a mean charge of $27,403 and $27,948, with only 40% and 45%, of patients discharged to home with or without home health care. In 2004 and 2005, the senior author performed 125 and 117 Medicare primary hip and knee replacements, respectively, with computer navigation with a mean length of stay of 2.9 days and 2.8 days, with charges of $22,134 and $24,612, and 63% and 71% discharged to home. On a pure charge basis, the senior author experience a decreased overall charge compared to published data. Even if the entire cost of the navigation system in our system $204,000 was spread equally over only the Medicare patients over the two year period, the additional $842/case still results in a case charge below published data. Based on the senior author’s experience with hospitalization cost, length of stay and discharge disposition, computer navigation in total joint replacement is not associated with an increased cost/case and may result in dramatically lower indirect costs due to shorter length of stay and increased number of discharges to home compared to published regional Medicare discharge data

Background. Substance abuse and dependence is thought to have a strongly negative impact on surgical outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of drug misuse on total knee arthroplasty (TKA) revision incidence, revision causes, and time to revision by analyzing the Medicare database between 2005–2012. Methods. A retrospective review of the Medicare database within the PearlDiver Supercomputer (Warsaw, IN) for TKA and revisions was performed utilizing Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and International Classification of Disease (ICD) ninth revision codes. Drug misuse was subdivided into cocaine, cannabis, opioids, sedative/hypnotic/anxiolytic, amphetamines, and alcohol. Time to revision, age, and gender were also investigated. Results. Our query returned 2159221 TKAs and 193024 (8.9%) revisions between 2005–2012. Drug misuse was prevalent in 173513 (8%). Cocaine had the highest revision incidence (13.9%). Cannabis had the fastest average (636.1 days) and median (457 days) time to revision. At 30 and 90 days, cannabis had the greatest rate of revision at 6% and 12% respectively. At 6 months and 1 year, amphetamine had the greatest revision risk at 25% and 40.5% respectively. Infection was the most common cause of revision among all substances. Conclusion. Cocaine misuse holds the highest risk for revision. However cannabis misuse is more likely to require revision sooner, particularly at the 30 and 90 day intervals. Infection was the most common cause of revision regardless of substance misused. Thus it is important to obtain a detailed social history on drug misuse and to be vigilant for postoperative infections in these patients

Introduction. Bundled Payments (BP) were a revolutionary new experiment for CMS that tested whether risk sharing for an episode of care would improve quality and reduce costs. The initial success of BP accelerated their growth as evidence by the launch of both mandatory and commercial bundles. Success in BP is dependent on the target price and the opportunity to reduce avoidable costs during the episode of care. There is concern that the aggressive target pricing methodology in the new model (BPCI-Advanced) penalizes high performing groups that already achieved low episode costs through prior experience and investment in BP. We hypothesize that this methodology incorporates unsustainable downward trends on target prices to a point beyond reasonableness for efficient groups to reduce additional costs and will lead to a large percentage of groups opting out of BPCI-A in favor of a return to fee for service (FFS) reimbursement. Methods. Using CMS data, we compared the target price factors for hospitals that participated in both BPCI classic (2013 –2018) and BPCI Advanced (beginning 10/2018), referred to as “legacy hospitals”, with hospitals that only participated in BPCI Advanced (beginning 10/2018). With the rebasing of BPCI-A target prices in Jan 2020 and the opportunity for participants to drop out of individual episode types or the program all together, we compared the retention of episode types that hospitals initially enrolled at the onset of BPCI-A with the current enrollment in 2020. Locally, we analyzed the BPCI-A target price factors across hospitals for a large orthopaedic practice that participated in BPCI Classic and the impact it had on the financial incentive/disincentive to remain in the lower extremity joint replacement episode type in 2020. Results. At its peak in July 2015, 423 acute care hospitals participated in one or more episode type in BPCI Classic. At its peak in March 2019, 715 acute care hospitals participated in one or more episode types in BPCI-Advanced. 130 (18%) of the hospitals in BPCI Advanced were also legacy participants in BPCI Classic, enrolling in 414 of the same episode types during both programs. In 2020, 251 (61%) of the episode types that hospitals were in enrolled in for both BPCI Classic and BPCI Advanced were dropped, suggesting prior experience in BPCI influences a participant's opportunity for success in BPCI Advanced. Furthermore, an analysis of the target price factors for episode types enrolled in by legacy hospitals during both programs suggests that prior participation in BPCI Classic is correlated with more aggressive target prices. A comparison of target price factors of similar hospitals reveals that legacy BPCI Classic hospitals that participated in lower extremity joint replacement (LEJR) BPCI Advanced received a larger negative adjustment on the target price (0.11 lower on average as a product of the Peer Adjusted Trend factor and ACH Efficiency factor) than non-legacy hospitals that participated in BPCI Advanced. Furthermore, analysis of the hospital targets for a large, high-performing legacy Physician Group Practice in BPCI Classic for LEJR revealed even greater negative adjustment on the target price than non-legacy participants. Comparing participants of similar peer groups on the Peer Adjusted Trend and ACH Efficiency factors suggests that CMS expects costs to decline more for legacy hospitals that have achieved efficiency than hospitals with no prior BP experience and higher baseline spend. Conclusions. BPCI Advanced provides little to no opportunity for a reduction in cost for already efficient TJA providers, as evident by the 55% dropout rate for BPCI-A participants in LEJR between model years 1 and 3. Efficient TJA providers in BPCI Advanced are challenged by the program's utilization of a peer adjusted trend factor and efficiency factor that presumes their costs will decline at the same aggressive rate or more than nonefficient TJA providers. It remains to be seen if reverting to Medicare fee for service will support the same level of care coordination, cost and quality achieved in historical TJA bundled payment programs

Introduction/Aims. An increased mortality associated with hip fractures has been recognized, but the impact of vertebral osteoporotic compression fractures (VCF) is still underestimated. The aim of this study was to report on the difference in survival for VCF patients following non-operative and operative [Balloon Kyphoplasty (BKP) or Vertebroplasty (VP)] treatments. Methods. Operated and non-operated VCF patients were identified from the US Medicare database in 2006 and 2007 and followed for a minimum of 24 months. Patients diagnosed with pathological and traumatic VCFs in the prior year were excluded. Overall survival was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method, and the differences in mortality rates (operated vs non-operated; balloon kyphoplasty vs vertebroplasty) were assessed by Cox regression, with adjustments for patient demographics, general and specific co-morbidities, that have been previously identified as possible causes of death associated with osteoporotic VCFs. Results. A total of 81,662 operated (vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty) patients had a survival rate of 74.8% at 24 months following VCF diagnosis compared to 67.4% for the 329,303 non-operated patients. In operated (Vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty) patients there was 44% less mortality than in non-operated VCF patients (p<0.0001). The survival rates for VCF patients following vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty were 72.3% and 76.2% at 24 months, respectively. In kyphoplasty patients there was 12.5% more survival than in vertebroplasty patients (p<0.0001) after 2 years. Conclusions. This retrospective analysis, in 410,965 patients diagnosed with a VCF confirmed the statistical significant decrease (43%, p<0.0001) in mortality between patients receiving minimally invasive surgery compared to non-operated patients. Additionally the present study confirmed a statistical significant decrease (12.5%, p<0.0001) in mortality in BKP patients compared to VP patients

Aims. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the removal of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) from the Medicare Inpatient Only (IPO) list on our Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) Initiative in 2018. Methods. We examined our institutional database to identify all Medicare patients who underwent primary TKA from 2017 to 2018. Hospital inpatient or outpatient status was cross-referenced with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) claims data. Demographics, comorbidities, and outcomes were compared between patients classified as ‘outpatient’ and ‘inpatient’ TKA. Episode-of-care BPCI costs were then compared from 2017 to 2018. Results. Of the 2,135 primary TKA patients in 2018, 908 (43%) were classified as an outpatient and were excluded from BPCI. Inpatient classified patients had longer mean length of stay (1.9 (SD 1.4) vs 1.4 (SD 1.7) days, p < 0.001) and higher rates of discharge to rehabilitation (17% vs 3%, p < 0.001). Post-acute care costs increased when comparing the BPCI patients from 2017 to 2018, ($5,037 (SD $7,792) vs $5793 (SD $8,311), p = 0.010). The removal of TKA from the IPO list turned a net savings of $53,805 in 2017 into a loss of $219,747 in 2018 for our BPCI programme. Conclusions. Following the removal of TKA from the IPO list, nearly half of the patients at our institution were inappropriately classified as an outpatient. Our target price was increased and our institution realized a substantial loss in 2018 BPCI despite strong quality metrics. CMS should address its negative implications on bundled payment programmes. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(6 Supple A):19–23

Aims. The purpose of this study is to determine if higher volume hospitals have lower costs in revision hip and knee arthroplasty. Materials and Methods. We questioned the Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Inpatient Charge Data and identified 789 hospitals performing a total of 29 580 revision arthroplasties in 2014. Centres were dichotomised into high-volume (performing over 50 revision cases per year) and low-volume. Mean total hospital-specific charges and inpatient payments were obtained from the database and stratified based on Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) codes. Patient satisfaction scores were obtained from the multiyear CMS Hospital Compare database. Results. High-volume hospitals comprised 178 (30%) of the total but performed 15 068 (51%) of all revision cases, including 509 of 522 (98%) of the most complex DRG 466 cases. While high-volume hospitals had higher Medicare inpatient payments for DRG 467 ($21 458 versus $20 632, p = 0.038) and DRG 468 ($17 003 versus $16 120, p = 0.011), there was no difference in hospital specific charges between the groups. Higher-volume facilities had a better CMS hospital star rating (3.63 versus 3.35, p < 0.001). When controlling for hospital geographic and demographic factors, high-volume revision hospitals are less likely to be in the upper quartile of inpatient Medicare costs for DRG 467 (odds ratio (OR) 0.593, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.374 to 0.941, p = 0.026) and DRG 468 (OR 0.451, 95% CI 0.297 to 0.687, p <  0.001). Conclusion. While a high-volume hospital is less likely to be a high cost outlier, the higher mean Medicare reimbursements at these facilities may be due to increased case complexity. Further study should focus on measures for cost savings in revision total joint arthroplasties. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:1611–17

Aims. This work aimed at answering the following research questions: 1) What is the rate of mechanical complications, nonunion and infection for head/neck femoral fractures, intertrochanteric fractures, and subtrochanteric fractures in the elderly USA population? and 2) Which factors influence adverse outcomes?. Methods. Proximal femoral fractures occurred between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2019 were identified from the Medicare Physician Service Records Data Base. The Kaplan-Meier method with Fine and Gray sub-distribution adaptation was used to determine rates for nonunion, infection, and mechanical complications. Semiparametric Cox regression model was applied incorporating 23 measures as covariates to identify risk factors. Results. Union failure occured in 0.89% (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.83 to 0.95) after head/neck fracturs, in 0.92% (95% CI 0.84 to 1.01) after intertrochanteric fracture and in 1.99% (95% CI 1.69 to 2.33) after subtrochanteric fractures within 24 months. A fracture-related infection was more likely to occur after subtrochanteric fractures than after head/neck fractures (1.64% vs 1.59%, hazard ratio (HR) 1.01 (95% CI 0.87 to 1.17); p < 0.001) as well as after intertrochanteric fractures (1.64% vs 1.13%, HR 1.31 (95% CI 1.12 to 1.52); p < 0.001). Anticoagulant use, cerebrovascular disease, a concomitant fracture, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, open fracture, and rheumatoid disease was identified as risk factors. Mechanical complications after 24 months were most common after head/neck fractures with 3.52% (95% CI 3.41 to 3.64; currently at risk: 48,282). Conclusion. The determination of complication rates for each fracture type can be useful for informed patient-clinician communication. Risk factors for complications could be identified for distinct proximal femur fractures in elderly patients, which are accessible for therapeutical treatment in the management. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2023;4(10):801–807

Aims. Currently, the US Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) has been testing bundled payments for revision total joint arthroplasty (TJA) through the Bundled Payment for Care Improvement (BPCI) programme. Under the BPCI, bundled payments for revision TJAs are defined on the basis of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs). However, these DRG-based bundled payment models may not be adequate to account appropriately for the varying case-complexity seen in revision TJAs. Methods. The 2008-2014 Medicare 5% Standard Analytical Files (SAF5) were used to identify patients undergoing revision TJA under DRG codes 466, 467, or 468. Generalized linear regression models were built to assess the independent marginal cost-impact of patient, procedural, and geographic characteristics on 90-day costs. Results. A total of 9,263 patients (DRG-466 = 838, DRG-467 = 4,573, and DRG-468 = 3,842) undergoing revision TJA from 2008 to 2014 were included in the study. Undergoing revision for a dislocation (+$1,221), periprosthetic fracture (+$4,454), and prosthetic joint infection (+$5,268) were associated with higher 90-day costs. Among comorbidities, malnutrition (+$10,927), chronic liver disease (+$3,894), congestive heart failure (+$3,292), anaemia (+$3,149), and coagulopathy (+$2,997) had the highest marginal cost-increase. The five US states with the highest 90-day costs were Alaska (+$14,751), Maryland (+$13,343), New York (+$7,428), Nevada (+$6,775), and California (+$6,731). Conclusion. Under the proposed DRG-based bundled payment methodology, surgeons would be reimbursed the same amount of money for revision TJAs, regardless of the indication (periprosthetic fracture, prosthetic joint infection, mechanical loosening) and/or patient complexity. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(7):959–964