While the orthopedic specialty wasn't as ravaged by COVID-19 as gastroenterology or oral surgery, it experienced a "substantial" drop in utilization and revenue, according to Fair Health's 2020 "Healthcare Professionals and the Impact of COVID-19" report, a comparative study of revenue and utilization.
What you should know:
1. Orthopedics utilization dropped 58 percent from March 2019-20, and revenue based on total allowed amounts was down 59 percent.
2. The specialty's utilization fell 65 percent from March 2019 to April 2020, with revenue based on total amounts still down 59 percent.
3. The decline in utilization and revenue for orthopedics represented over half of the specialty's volume and reimbursements.
4. In January, total knee and hip replacements "ranked high" in the top five orthopedic procedures by total estimated allowed amounts. By April, the CPT codes for these procedures dropped from the top five entirely.
Click here to view the full report.