WCRI: Surgery Centers Not Always Cheaper for Knee, Shoulder Procedures

Knee or shoulder surgery for injured workers typically costs less at ambulatory surgery centers than at hospital outpatient departments, but the trend is sometimes reversed and may be influenced by state fee schedules, according to a report released Tuesday. The Workers’ Compensation Research Institute looked at the cost of workers’ comp surgeries in 32 states during 2013. The research was a follow-up to a previous WCRI report that included surgeries in 23 states during 2011. The new study found that arthroscopic knee surgery at ambulatory centers costs less than hospital outpati...