About Insurance Coverage | Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction™ (2024)

FAQs

Is Lapiplasty 3D bunion correction covered by insurance? ›

Is the Lapiplasty^® Procedure covered by insurance? Good news! Insurance and Medicare typically cover bunionectomy and joint fusion procedures that utilize the Lapiplasty^® System when the procedures are medically necessary.

Bunion correction surgery typically costs about $6,000 or more per foot. Many health insurance plans will cover all or part of the costs of bunion correction surgery.

If you have bone loss or degeneration, are morbidly obese, or have a known sensitivity to implanted devices, you may not be a candidate for Lapiplasty surgery. Pediatric patients under 12 years old and adolescent patients with open growth plates may also not be eligible.

The Lapiplasty 3D Bunion Correction procedure uses two small, anatomically-shaped titanium plates to secure the once unstable foundation of the bunion. The support this provides on multiple planes allows patients to walk just a few days after surgery.

Lapiplasty offers a promising surgical treatment option. It involves a less invasive procedure, fewer complications, and a quicker recovery than traditional bunion surgery. It also addresses bunions at their root cause.

The downsides of the Lapiplasty procedure are: The cost of the hardware — which can be fairly expensive and may cost the patient more than other hardware. The possible increased operating time due to the use of the cutting guides and jigs.

How much does bunion surgery cost? The average cost of bunion surgery in the United States can range anywhere between $3,500 and $12,000 or more.

ROBERT SANTROCK, MD: Most typically the Lapiplasty^® surgery is done as an outpatient, meaning you can go home the same day. Our typical patient would undergo a nerve block, which is a type of anesthesia that numbs you from about the knee down.

You may need bunion surgery if you have severe foot pain that happens even when walking or wearing flat, comfortable shoes. Surgery may also be needed when chronic big toe inflammation and swelling isn't relieved with rest or medicines.

Will I Be Able to Bend My Big Toe after Lapiplasty? Yes, you will still have normal movement of your big toe after this surgery at Bone & Joint Specialists. The fusion in this procedure takes place at the metatarsophalangeal joint. This is deemed to be more of a “non-essential” joint.

What is the failure rate of Lapiplasty? ›

Since bunions are a 3-dimensional deformity a procedure that corrects all 3 dimensions is required. Osteotomies only correct 2 of the 3 dimensions. Lapiplasty surgery failures are reduced to only 3-5% according to current studies. Lapiplasty recovery time is also shorter!

There's no cut-and-dry rule regarding an age limit for bunion surgery. Seniors can visit a podiatrist serving the Sugar Land area to find out if the procedure might be right for them.

Insurance will probably cover part or all of the surgery, because the majority of bunion surgeries are not cosmetic. A bunion that is causing pain or changing the way you walk, is considered medically necessary. If it is small and causes no pain, insurance may not cover the procedure.

Suykerbuyk performs the Lapiplasty 3D Bunionectomy, which addresses the bunion at the unstable joint, preventing the bunion from returning in the future. With this technique, the recurrence rate for a bunion goes down to less than 4%.

Instead of cutting the bone in half and shifting the top part over, the patented Lapiplasty^® Procedure uses specially-designed instrumentation to rotate the entire deviated bone back into its normal anatomical position, naturally straightening your toe; removing the “bump” and associated pain.

How much does bunion surgery cost? The average cost of bunion surgery in the United States can range anywhere between $3,500 and $12,000 or more.

An important first step is to find a trained Lapiplasty^® doctor to consult. Both qualified orthopedic surgeons (MDs) and podiatric surgeons (DPMs) utilize Lapiplasty^® 3D Bunion Correction^® in their practices.