| |
|
 |  | With Health Insurance: Copay or 10%-50% Coinsurance |  | Without Health Insurance: $500-$30,000+ |
|
|
|
Hammer toe is a painful deformity of the toe, often caused by wearing improperly fitting shoes, especially high heels. In some cases, especially if not treated early, hammer toe might require surgery.
Typical costs: | - For patients covered by health insurance, the typical out-of-pocket cost for hammer toe treatment consists of a copay or coinsurance of 10%-50%. Hammer toe treatment sometimes is covered by health insurance, but certain types of treatments might be excluded. For example, Aetna[1] covers hammer toe surgery only when certain criteria are met -- for example, if the patient has persistent pain and three months of conservative treatment have failed. Aetna also considers certain types of surgical implants experimental.
- For patients not covered by health insurance, hammer toe treatment typically costs less than $500 for conservative treatment such as extra-depth shoes, taping or a hammer toe sling, shoe pads and foot stretching exercises. However, if surgery is required, it can cost about $10,000-$30,000 or more.
- For example, at DrTodds.com, hammer toe cushions, toe stretchers and toe spacers[2] cost about $5-$13. At FootSmart.com, hammer toe cushions[3] cost about $8 -$18. At Amazon, hammer toe cushions, pads and straps[4] cost about $4-$44. At FootSmart.com shoe stretchers[5] , which can stretch the toe boxes of shoes to make them roomier, cost about $13-$50. At FootSmart.com, toe straighteners[6] cost about $7-$36. At HealthyFeetStore.com, orthopedic shoes suitable for hammer toe[7] cost about $100-$180. At FootSmart.com, therapeutic shoes[8] cost about $40 -$230.
- According to HealthCareBlueBook.com, hammer toe surgery[9] costs $14,900 on average, including a doctor fee of $714 and an anesthesia fee of $447. At Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center, in Nebraska, hammer toe repair surgery[10] costs about $6,000-$25,000, not including the doctor fee, which can add several thousand dollars to the final bill.
Related articles: Foot Orthotics, Physical Therapy, Crutches
| |
What should be included: | - A doctor typically will diagnose hammer toe with a physical examination. If the condition is diagnosed relatively early, while the toes still are flexible, it often can be treated conservatively.
- For example, the doctor often will recommend comfortable, roomy shoes that allow the toes to stretch out. The doctor also might recommend simple at-home exercises such as stretches or grasping objects with the toes. In some cases, the doctor will recommend inserts, pads or straps designed to help stretch and/or cushion the toes.
- In severe cases where other treatments fail, outpatient surgery might be required. Typically, local anesthesia is used and the patient must limit walking and other exercise for several weeks.
- The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers an overview of hammer toe[11] .
Additional costs: | - If surgery is required, local anesthesia typically costs less than $1,000.
- If surgery is required, crutches might be needed during recovery at a cost of about $15-$100.
- Physical therapy, which typically costs $50-$350 per session, might be required.
Discounts: | - Some websites that sell over-the-counter orthotics or pads offer discounts. For example, FootSmart.com offers discounts[12] such as free shipping or $15 off plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more.
- Many hospitals and doctors give discounts of 30% or more to uninsured/cash-paying patients. For example, Washington Hospital Healthcare System[13] in California offers a 35% discount.
Shopping for hammer toe treatment: | - A podiatrist or an orthopedic surgeon would treat hammer toe. The American Podiatric Medical Association offers a podiatrist locator[14] . It is important to make sure the podiatrist is board certified by the American Board of Podiatric Orthopedics and Primary Podiatric Medicine or the American Board of Podiatric Surgery[15] , depending on their area of specialty. The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society offers a locator for orthopedic surgeons[16] who specialize in conditions of the foot and ankle.
|
Material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult your physician or pharmacist regarding medications or medical procedures.
|
|
|
|
CostHelper News
| 
7 Ways to Stretch Your Reduced Food Budget
End of the year budgets are tight for everyone, especially in this economy.It's especially hard for the millions of Americans who depend on government programs like food stamps to help make ends meet. || Posted November 11 2013
| | 
Fix-it Favorites: Duct Tape and WD-40
My mother taught me that all home fixit-projects can be accomplished with either duct tape or WD-40. If something shouldn't move and it does, use duct tape. If something should move and it doesn't, use WD-40. || Posted September 30 2013
|
|
|
|
|
|
What People Are Paying - Recent Comments |
| Posted by: Lisa Burnworth in Sulphur, LA. | Posted: July 27th, 2017 06:07PM |
| Medical Center: Any best ones |
Need surgery got hammer toes planter warts both balls of my feet |
|
|
| Posted by: Janice j in Parkforest, IL. | Posted: March 7th, 2016 06:03PM |
| Type of Treatment: | Prescription or Over-the-Counter: None |
| Medical Center: Blue cross blue shield |
Im asmist 50yrs an never in ny life wear sandles an always have shooting pains in my toes that some day i wanna wear house shoes to work im a security officer an i walk alot but for about 20yrs of my life i had problems with my toes an with shoes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
External Resources: | - www.aetna.com/cpb/medical/data/600_699/0636.html
- www.drtodds.com/hammer-toes-en/
- www.footsmart.com/hammer-toe-s.aspx?NavCmd=Ntk%3aAll%7chammer+toe%7c3%7c%2cN%3a429...
- www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_pg_1?rh=n%3A3760901%2Ck%3Ahammer+toe&sort=price&keywords=h...
- www.footsmart.com/hammer-toe-s.aspx?NavCmd=Ntk%3aAll%7chammer+toe%7c3%7c%2cN%3a429...
- www.footsmart.com/Default.aspx
- www.healthyfeetstore.com/hammertoes.html
- www.footsmart.com/hammer-toe-therapeutic-shoes-s.aspx?NavCmd=Ntk%3aAll%7chammer+to...
- healthcarebluebook.com/page_Results.aspx?id=35&dataset=MD
- tp.chi.acelogicus.net/nese/Default.aspx
- orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00160
- www.footsmart.com/MarketingPage.aspx?pageId=36
- www.whhs.com/about/washington-hospital-discount-policy-for-uninsured/
- www.apma.org/Directory/FindAPodiatrist.cfm
- www.abps.org/content/resources/FindADoctor.aspx
- mmax.aofas.org/scripts/4disapi.dll/4DCGI/directory/person.html?Action=AOFAS&AOFAS_...
More Health & Personal Care Topics
|
Search Thousands of Topics on CostHelper.com
|
|
| |
| Today's Featured Cost Articles |
|
|
|
|
Post
