Some Patients Delaying Hip Replacement Surgery Due to Uncertain Economy

Many patients implanted with DePuy Pinnacle and other brands of metal-on-metal hip replacement devices are experiencing a high rate of failure, leading some to file Pinnacle lawsuits.

A recent article published on Reuters.com found that many patients are choosing to delay hip replacement procedures and live with the discomfort indefinitely, because many are concerned about taking time off from their jobs in an uncertain economy.

Many Fear “Being Expendable at Work”

Dr. John Tongue, and orthopedic surgeon practicing near Portland, Oregon, has an increasing number of patients who are prime candidates for joint replacement who are choosing to live with the pain, rather than take the chance of losing their jobs because of elective surgery. “We have more people who are anxious about losing their jobs if they have elective surgery. They are anxious about returning to work,” he said. Normally, Dr. Tongue performs about 400 knee and hip replacements per year, but with high unemployment and rising out-of-pocket costs, even people with jobs and health insurance are choosing to forgo the procedures because they don’t want to take time off to recuperate. Many older patients are trying to tough it out until they turn 65, and become eligible for Medicare.”They are concerned about higher deductibles and costs,” Dr. Tongue continued. “They want more information about what their total bill will be if they have the procedure. We’re seeing people trying to put things off until they get to Medicare, with the impression that they will have a lower cost.”

Medical Device Sales Suffering

Financial analysts have recently scaled back growth figures for companies that manufacture medical devices, particularly artificial joints. Predictions are that sales will remain “sluggish” into next year, and a “new normal” emerging in the health care sector. The trend has been for some patients to turn down treatment if they feel it is not an absolute necessity.

Morningstar analyst Debbie Wang stated, “People are putting off any sort of non-acute, non-symptomatic care. Even if it is symptomatic, until it becomes acute they are not taking the time to come in. Especially if unemployment stays at 9 percent, a lot of folks are going to clench their teeth and ignore the pain.”

Research conducted by J.P. Morgan shows that office visits have been steadily declining over the past year, based on statistics from their database of 8,000 U.S. physicians. Despite these figures, many believe procedures like hip replacements will eventually increase, based on the aging population and the the fact that retiring baby boomers will not want to sacrifice their active lifestyles to chronic pain.

Speak To a Physician About Your Situation

Many people cannot afford to delay a hip replacement. It is important to speak to a qualified medical professional to assess your individual situation and decide whether you can or cannot delay having surgery.

Protect Your Rights as a Consumer

If you have already undergone a hip replacement and are experiencing symptoms consistent with failure of your implant, you may have been injured by a defective DePuy Pinnacle hip replacement. You might have grounds to file a DePuy Pinnacle lawsuit and receive compensation.

The Rottenstein Law Group’s hip replacement lawyers have over 25 years of collective experience advocating for clients in consumer products injury cases. Just fill out our convenient contact form, and one of our lawyers will be in touch.