Arthritis Treatment Insurance Coverage

Is Shoulder Arthritis Treatment Covered By Insurance?

In the United States, millions of people suffer from pain due to arthritis. When arthritis settles into the shoulder joints, mobility can be difficult and painful.

shoulder-surgery-caTreatment for Shoulder Arthritis

Shoulder arthritis treatment can help to substantially alleviate the symptoms.

Medical Insurance

Under most circumstances, medical insurance will cover the cost of essential health care procedures and medication for shoulder arthritis treatment. The best way to determine if the treatment is part of your coverage is to contact your provider’s claims representative. Depending on your policy’s terms co-pays, deductibles, and qualifying factors will determine the amount of out of pocket costs you may pay for shoulder arthritis treatment.

Accurate Diagnosis

Pain and limited range of movement are two main factors with shoulder arthritis. An accurate diagnosis will be the basis for the various treatment options.

  • Medical history to determine the beginning of the symptoms
  • Physical examination of the shoulder area to find signs injury, weakness, tenderness to the touch and pain under applied pressure.
  • X-rays, MRIs, and other imaging tests to rule out any other type of condition or injury

Should arthritis treatment options with desired outcomes should be discussed. During this time, feel free to ask questions. A highly, qualified orthopedic specialist will treat each patient in an individualized manner by addressing each concern.

Non-Surgical Shoulder Arthritis Treatment

Depending on the degree of degeneration, the treatment option will vary with each individual. At the lower end of the shoulder arthritis, treatment costs are the non-surgical methods. The methods may be used as a way to ease the arthritic conditions of the shoulder area.

  • Rest or change in lifestyle by reducing shoulder movements may help reduce the pain.
  • Ice compresses applied to the shoulder area for 30 minutes every three hours or as directed by the health care professional.
  • By applying ice, the inflammation may be reduced easing painful symptoms.
  • Over the counter or prescription drugs to help decrease the pain and inflammation.
  • Corticosteroid injections into the shoulder area to aid in the reduction of the inflammation may be a temporary fix.
  • Physical therapy may be prescribed to help strengthen the muscles to increase the range of motion to the shoulder area.

Surgical Treatment

When the shoulder pain or arthritic condition affects daily activities, the orthopedic specialists may recommend surgery. Depending on the type of coverage, medical insurance usually covers the surgery of an arthritic shoulder. The surgery is designed to help a patient return to a normal, active lifestyle.

  • Arthroscopic surgery is performed through small incisions around the affected area to allow for the insertion of miniature medical instruments.
  • The surgeon will use a small camera to view the area allowing for the instruments to clean around the joint that may be causing the pain.
  • The procedure does not discard of arthritis completely.
  • Joint replacement may be used when the arthritis is advanced.
  • The damaged joint will be replaced an artificial one to help restore movement.

Shoulder Arthritis Treatment

Dr. Howard Marans understands a patient’s simple desire to return to the simplest of daily activities without the limitations of painful arthritis. Accepting various insurances – including PPO – Dr. Marans will design a personal shoulder arthritis treatment plan to achieve an optimal outcome without creating an overwhelming financial burden on the patient. Please click below to schedule your consultation or call us at 714.979.8981.

Is Knee Arthritis Treatment Covered By Insurance?

The symptoms of arthritis can negatively effect daily living routines. Arthritis creates pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints. When a person has arthritis in one or both knees, everyday activities become extremely difficult.

Knee Arthritis Treatment

kneeEven though arthritis is incurable, finding options to manage the painful symptoms will aid in staying active. Various factors including the degree of degeneration will help determine the best type of knee arthritis treatment for each individual.

Medical Insurance

The costs of knee arthritis treatment will vary with each person’s particular insurance policy coverage. Calling the medical insurance provider’s customer service representative will help determine the amount of coverage a patient has for knee arthritis treatment. Each health insurance policy is different. Specific guidelines for knee arthritis treatment may need to be followed for the utmost medical insurance coverage compensation.

  • Prior recommendation and referral from the family or primary physician
  • The orthopedic specialists must be within the medical insurance care network
  • Co-pays or deductibles may be part of the out of pocket costs as outlined in the insurance policy
  • Non-surgical measures may first need to be implemented prior to surgery costs coverage

Non-Surgical Options

Under many insurance policies, surgical options are often viewed as the last resort in knee arthritis treatment. An accurate diagnosis is the first step in determining the type of individualized knee arthritis treatment.

Unless the degree of degeneration is too severe, a patient will typically begin treatment with non-surgical options to relieve the symptoms.

  • Over the counter or prescription drugs to reduce inflammation and pain
  • Corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid injections
  • Weight management to help reduce the pressure and stress on the knee joints
  • Physical therapy to strengthen the muscles around the knee to help improve movement and flexibility
  • Walking aids or a cane to help support stability during movement
  • Knee brace to provide extra support

Surgical Options

If the non-surgical options do not yield the desired results, the next step in the knee arthritis treatment process is surgery. Knee joint replacement is one of the most effective methods used. The joint is removed and replaced with a prosthesis. The costs vary with medical insurance guidelines and other contributing factors.

  • Geographic location
  • Length of hospital stay
  • Type of prosthesis used
  • Surgical approach
  • Pre-existing medical conditions that may require specialized care
  • Amount of time in the operating room
  • Anesthesia costs
  • Unanticipated medical care

Each component of treatment will add to one’s final medical expense. Without medical insurance or limited coverage, a knee joint replacement procedure could cost a patient over $50,000. Knowing the knee arthritis treatment options and following guidelines will help keep the costs manageable.

Located in Orange County, Dr. Howard Marans strives to return a patient back to a pain-free lifestyle. Dr. Marans will create an individualized knee treatment approach. Each step in the medical treatment program will be explained in great detail to allow the patient time to ask questions. Following each step of the patient’s progress, Dr. Marans will implement a precise execution for knee arthritis treatment approach.

Knee Arthritis Treatment Provider

With a consistently busy practice for over 33 years, Dr. Howard Marans provides the best knee arthritis treatment options available kneeto return his patients back to their active lifestyle. Dr. Marans accepts various types of medical insurance, including PPOs. It is the Doctor’s goal to provide the highest level of care without an overwhelming financial burden for the patient. Please click below to schedule your consultation or call us at 714.979.8981.