Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush University Medical Center will offer Canadians a flat fee for orthopedic procedures, which have one of the longest wait times for treatment in Canada.
Patients in need of orthopedic surgery can wait an average of 35.7 weeks for treatment, according to a 2015 report from the Fraser Institute.
Canadian patients at Midwest Orthopaedics in Chicago will likely be treated three to four weeks after their initial meeting, said Dr. Nikhil Verma, an orthopedic surgeon at Midwest Orthopaedics.
Midwest Orthopaedics offers packaged pricing for five surgical procedures: anterior cruciate ligament repair, hip arthroscopy, knee arthroscopy, rotator cuff repair and shoulder arthroscopy, according to a news release.
Prices were determined by evaluating reimbursement data in the past two years. Hip arthroscopy, the most expensive, is $13,250. The least expensive procedure is knee arthroscopy, $5,000.
The package price includes all surgical and anesthesia fees as well as supplies and implants. Routine 90-day follow-up with the physician is also provided.
Diagnostic tests, travel expenses, medical equipment and physical therapy are not included. Verma said the practice would provide to patients before they are released information about the resources. It's often cheaper for patients to use their insurance to cover some of the expenses.
Verma said program marketing would likely be through social media channels and word-of-mouth in Canada. He said in the past that Canadian patients have heard of Midwest Orthopaedics through social media chat rooms.
This is likely the largest academic medical center that has offered orthopedic services to people outside the U.S. for a flat fee, Verma said. Smaller practices have begun similar programs.
Canadians who opt to receive care outside of the country because of lengthy wait times have been on the rise. In 2014, about 52,513 people received treatment abroad. That is an increase from 41,838 in 2013.
A study by the Canadian government cited a lack of coordination between specialists and primary-care physicians and access to resources as a reason for lengthy wait times.
