Medacta & Geisinger Partner for First-Ever Knee Replacement Lifetime Guarantee

Medacta International, the international orthopedics company specializing in the design and production of innovative orthopedic products, and Geisinger, one of the nation’s most innovative health systems, today announced a first-of-its-kind pilot program for a knee replacement lifetime guarantee, in which the pair will stand behind the full cost of care associated with knee replacement surgeries over a patient’s lifetime.
 
The lifetime knee replacement program will replicate the model initiated in 2018 with the lifetime hip program and join it as part of Geisinger’s ProvenRecovery portfolio. As such, this new program will cover full costs for screened Geisinger Health Plan members who receive knee replacement surgery while also ensuring reimbursement for any associated future care the patients may incur throughout their lifetimes. The cost of both the implant and any associated hospital fees will be proportionally shared between Medacta and Geisinger, while patients remain on the Geisinger Health Plan and are treated by Geisinger providers.
 
Products from Medacta’s knee portfolio used in this pilot program include MyKnee patient-matched cutting blocks, a technology that utilizes pre-operative planning via 3D reconstruction to allow for complete customization, as well as the corresponding GMK Efficiency Single-use Instruments, tools that lower risk of infection and create a streamlined surgical process. Both of these products fall under Medacta’s Mpower Sustainability Solutions, a company initiative focused on delivering products and programs that allow surgeons and facilities to provide higher quality care at a reduced cost via value-based healthcare models that are built to last.
 
“Medacta prides itself on providing unparalleled surgeon training and education via our renowned M.O.R.E. Institute. When thoroughly trained surgeons leverage our patient-matched technologies and thoughtfully designed instruments, they are more confident in the O.R. and often conduct more precise and efficient procedures, with the end goal of improving patient outcomes,” said Francesco Siccardi, CEO of Medacta International. “We are proud to be the first orthopedic firm to offer a lifetime guarantee on our hip and knee replacement surgery implants and instrumentation alongside our partner Geisinger, which is known for its early adoptions of innovative technologies and care delivery models. From complete revisions to treating a simple infection, the complete cost of care is covered.”
 
Cheryl Bednar, 54, of Laflin, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, suffered with chronic pain from hip deterioration. Then she met James Murphy, M.D., a board-certified and fellowship-trained adult reconstruction specialist at Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre.
 
“I’m so glad I had surgery, and I’m so glad Dr. Murphy was my surgeon. He’s the man! My whole life was impacted by not being able to do basic things. This winter we snow-shoed and went cross-country skiing. I’m looking forward to gardening again this summer,” Ms. Bednar said.
 
“Geisinger is proud to expand our ProvenCare commitment by broadening our partnership with Medacta in an effort to continue uncovering innovative ways to provide high-quality, value-based care,” said Michael Suk, M.D., J.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., chair of the Geisinger Musculoskeletal Institute and the Department of Orthopedic Surgery. “Together we launched the industry’s first and only lifetime hip replacement warranty and we are thrilled to expand this model to our patients receiving knee replacements. Geisinger is committed to delivering high-quality care at lower costs and, ultimately, having patients pay only for the value they receive. We are proud to build on this commitment through strategic partnerships that offer unmatched care to our patients.”
 
Geisinger’s ProvenCare program was introduced in 2006 and uses evidence-based “bundles” to adopt a fixed per-case rate that covers preadmission, inpatient and follow-up care, including all complications 90 days post–procedure. In 2014, Geisinger launched additional ProvenCare programs for hip fracture, total hip replacement, total knee replacement, and lumbar spine.