Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39990000›Full record

ArticleProceedings (Baylor University. Medical Center)2025

Differences in Medicare payment and practice characteristics for orthopedic surgery subspecialties.

Jack Allen, Colton Shepherd, Tanner Heaton, Nate Behrens, Alexander Dorius, Jerry Grimes

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Proceedings (Baylor University. Medical Center), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Jack AllenSchool of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3836-7699
Colton ShepherdSchool of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, USA.
Tanner HeatonSchool of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Nate BehrensSchool of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Alexander DoriusSchool of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, USA.
Jerry GrimesDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Medicare payment, practice, and patient characteristics give perspective on the lifestyle, challenges, and attractiveness unique to each orthopedic surgery subspecialty. Changes to Medicare reimbursement may also affect health care delivery, warranting policy change. We analyzed differences in orthopedic surgery subspecialty characteristics and Medicare payments. Methods: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data set was filtered by Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes unique to each orthopedic surgery subspecialty in 2019. After filtering by unique CPT codes, 100 randomized physicians were validated for each subspecialty: adult reconstruction and arthroplasty, trauma, sports medicine, hand surgery, shoulder and elbow surgery, foot and ankle surgery, and spine surgery. Data gathered included unique procedural codes, number of beneficiaries, services provided, and the total Medicare allowed amount. Differences were assessed with post hoc tests. Subspecialty changes in Medicare payment were assessed using the Physician Fee Schedule and compared using a single-factor analysis of variance. Results: On average, hand surgery recorded the most unique CPT codes (106) and the highest volume of beneficiaries (571). Adult reconstruction and arthroplasty had the fewest unique codes (60) and the greatest total Medicare payment ($328,000). Spine surgery had the lowest number of beneficiaries (387) and lowest number of services provided (1752). Lastly, sports medicine provided the largest volume of services (4221). Mean total codes, unique codes, and total patients differed between subspecialties. Varying differences in average Medicare payment, total billed codes, total unique codes, total patients, patient race, patient age, patient sex, and patient health were found for all orthopedic surgery subspecialties in 2019. Conclusions: These data may illustrate financial incentives for orthopedic surgery residents to pursue certain subspecialties.

Indexed as

Medicare reimbursementorthopedic surgerysubspecialty

Identifiers

PMID39990000
PMCPMC11844921

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.