The Economic Value of Disc Surgery

Is getting your herniated disc surgically repaired worth the money? A new study, published in the September 1 issue of Spine says - it depends.

According to press materials, the way the costs were assigned during the study made a big difference as to the economic value of the surgery. The study used two types of calculations - Medicare rates, and rates applied to the general adult population.

As you can imagine, the cost of the surgeries paid for by Medicare was quite a bit lower, half the price, for that matter. Medicare sponsored surgery for herniated disc ran $34,000. The same procedure for working adults was estimated to be $69,000. (These figures only reflect the cost of the procedure.) Disc surgery for those over 65 is currently on the rise.

The researchers looked at costs and results in 775 patients who had the surgery and 416 who, by contrast, had non-invasive treatment. They also looked at both groups two years out, and found that the surgcial group was doing better.

The study authors were careful to include related, but indirect costs when determing the final value of herniated disc surgery. For example along with the cost of the procedures themselves, they factored in missed work days and decreased productivity costs. They also looked at costs of surgical complications.

| Herniated Disc | Back Pain | Back Surgery | Conservative Back Treatments |

_{Source:
Surgery for Herniated Discs Is Cost-Effective, Study Concludes. Wolters Kluwer Health: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Sept 3 2008.}