New Study of Medicare Data Confirms Mobility Saves on Healthcare Costs

September 4, 2018

Findings Reveal a True Savings Scenario and Better Patient Health

Allen Dobson, PhD, President, Dobson DaVanzo; Charles Casson, Prosthetic Patient; and Anna Conn, Prosthetic Patient

A major new study commissioned by the Amputee Coalition, supported by a grant from the American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association, and conducted by Dr. Allen Dobson, health economist and former director of the Office of Research at CMS, shows that the Medicare program pays less over the long-term, in most cases, when Medicare patients are provided with replacement lower limbs, spinal orthotics, and hip/knee/ankle orthotics.

Looking at Medicare claims data for patients with conditions that justified the provision of leg and spinal braces, and artificial legs, the study’s authors found that untreated, immobile patients have more indications of co-morbid conditions – obesity, hypertension, and depression – that trigger higher total health costs than for similar patients who receive the orthotic or prosthetic devices.

Patients without the devices are also likely:

  • To require more acute care hospitalizations 
  • More emergency room admissions
  • More institutional treatments in skilled nursing and rehab facilities 

In addition, orthotics and prosthetics offer obvious, if difficult to quantify, soft benefits in the form of:

  • Better quality of life
  • Enhanced mobility
  • Greater opportunity for patients to more fully participate in earning a living and enjoying life

Preconceptions that artificial limbs and bracing costs are … a justifiably avoidable expense … have been dispelled by this report.  O&P devices such as a brace or artificial limb actually save healthcare dollars, savings of up to as much as 10% according to Medicare data, depending on the type of device.

Comments are closed.