ACL Reconstruction Cost

Typical costs:

• For patients not covered by health insurance, the cost of ACL reconstruction, including the surgeon's fee, facility fee, anesthesia and graft, if needed, ranges from just under $20,000 to $50,000.
• ACL reconstruction usually would be considered medically necessary and covered by health insurance.
• For patients covered by health insurance, out-of-pocket costs typically include a hospital admission fee, copays for pre- and post-surgical doctor visits, a copay or coinsurance for the surgery and anesthesia. Out-of-pocket costs can range from $800 to $3,000 or more.

• Before surgery, the patient usually must undergo several weeks of physical therapy.
• During the operation, the surgeon will either prepare the graft, if from a cadaver or harvest it from another area of the patient's body. Then the surgeon places an arthroscope in the knee to examine the joint. Any cartilage injuries are repaired, then the surgeon removes the torn ACL stump, drills into the femur and tibia, puts the ACL graft in place and attaches it. The surgeon then checks to make sure the graft has good tension and the knee has full range of motion.
• The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons[1] offers an overview of ACL injury and treatment options, including surgery.

• Medical equipment such as a knee brace and crutches can add $500 or more to the total if you are not covered by insurance.
• Physical therapy at $50 to $75 or more per hour can add $1,000 or more to the cost.
• Pain medication usually is prescribed during recovery.
• Injury or graft failure could result in the need for a second ACL reconstruction.

• For surgery, most hospitals will negotiate a discounted fee for patients who pay with cash or a credit card instead of using insurance.

• First, it is important to decide whether you want to have the surgery and consult with a doctor. Some people choose to wait and see if months of physical therapy can help resolve the problem. However, if you wait too long, you could develop chronic ACL deficiency where the knee becomes unstable and might give out periodically, and a doctor might be unable to operate successfully.
• WebMD [2] offers a decision guide on whether to get ACL reconstruction surgery.
• Your family doctor or sports medicine doctor can refer you to a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon and the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery[3] offers a surgeon locator by state.
• Possible complications of ACL reconstruction include: a life-threatening blood clot; infection; knee pain; knee stiffness or loss of motion, which has been reported in between 5 and 25 percent of cases; and weakness or numbness in the leg or foot.
• ACL surgery is becoming more common in young athletes, especially girls. However, in patients not finished growing, there is a risk of growth plate injury that could lead to bone growth problems. It is possible to delay the surgery until growth is finished; however, this can be risky because waiting too long can cause degeneration and make successful surgery impossible in the future.

1.  orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00297
2.  www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/should-i-have-surgery-for-an-anterior-cruciate-ligamen...
3.  /www.abos.org/find-a-certified-orthopaedic-surgeon.aspx

Check Out All Costs for Health & Personal Care		How Much Do Braces Cost?		How Much Does Hip Replacement Cost?		How Much Does a Mammogram Cost?

Today's Featured Cost Articles

April is craft month. We have the cost of scrapbooking and other crafts. Looking for help to take care of your garden? How much does garden service cost. If you want a spring or summer wedding, now is the time to pin down the location. A BBQ grill could be handy to enjoy backyard activities during the summer months. Spring has sprung. Are you thinking about allergy shots?

About CostHelper

CostHelper is based in Silicon Valley and provides consumers with unbiased price information about thousands of goods and services. Our writers are experienced journalists who adhere to our strict editorial ethics policy.

CostHelper Community

Didn't hurt the pocketbook Paid: 43.00 I called my dentist because my tooth had been hurting for a week and a half. I couldn't eat or sleep. It was horrible. They got me in the next day. The dental surgeon and staff took x-rays, verified that it indeed needed to come out... [more] -Anxious in Augusta Tooth Extraction Cost Current cost of skirting job 2022 Paid: 2356.00 Purchased material @ mobile home supply store Front/back top trim & ground track 17 each [email protected]$9= $459. 48 [email protected]$17= $816. [email protected]$40 [email protected] $20 tax $121. Total material $1456. 3 guys total $75 hour labor at 12 hours $900 labor... [more] -Fayard siding Mobile Home Skirting Cost Alatel joy tab2 Paid: 108.00 Cracked screen... [more] -Shawn P Speers Tablet Repair Cost Replace 2baths, laundry, and kitchen to the street Paid: 20000.00 Numerous breaks in 90 year old cast iron and also in the clay pipe. replaced with 4" schedule 40 ABS to the curb and then liner in the clay pipe to the city sewer... [more] -Steve in 2022 Sewer Line Replacement Cost Full mouth -Is this estimate too much? Paid: 16945.00 Extract buttom front teeth, replace with single implant for both teeth. Root canals and crowns needed for 3 molars, fillings needed on 11 teeth. Deep cleaning with 4 spots of Arestin and fluoride treatment. All under IV sedation... [more] -Shanmarspag Dental Work Cost Lockout at front door Paid: 175.00 I was quoted $29 for a service call. The techniciandidn't give me a price but went ahead with the repair. It took about 10 minutes. Then he told me the charge was because the owner of the business gets most of the money I paid... [more] -Carla Axelrod Locksmith Cost