Without health insurance, the cost of diagnosing and treating a broken ankle can range from around $11,000 to $20,000 or more.
Does insurance cover a broken foot?
- A broken foot’s treatment is usually covered by health insurance. A patient with insurance would normally be responsible for an X-ray cost, an office visit fee, and a 10% to 50% coinsurance for the operation. The cost of a small stress fracture could range from $100 to the yearly out-of-pocket maximum for surgery.
- A month of rest is usually all that is required to repair a stress fracture, which is caused by a sudden increase in exercise such as walking or jogging.
- For other forms of foot fractures, the doctor will realign the bones, then put a cast or brace or require the patient to wear a special shoe for the next six to eight weeks to hold the bones in place while they heal. Surgery to put hardware to hold the bones in place may be required in rare circumstances.
- A primer on foot fractures is available from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
- Crutches range in price from $15 to $40 for simple crutches to $100 for deluxe forearm crutches. Crutches are usually covered by health insurance with a fee for durable medical equipment.
- A $500 or more emergency room visit fee could be added to the final bill if you go to the emergency department for first treatment.
- Uninsured/cash-paying patients can receive discounts from some hospitals and podiatric and orthopedic specialists. For example, Washington Hospital Healthcare System in California offers uninsured patients a 35 percent discount as well as a financial help program for those who qualify. For Your Feet Podiatric Medicine/Foot Surgery in Colorado, as well as the Southern California Orthopedic Institute, offers discounted services to cash-paying individuals.
- Orthopedic and podiatric speciality care is available at some free clinics, such as the Community Health Free Clinic in Chicago. A list of federally supported health centers is available from the US Department of Health and Human Services. The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends contacting clinics directly for specific information on their discount policies. These centers are open to anyone and fees are charged on a sliding scale based on federal poverty guidelines; the US Department of Health and Human Services recommends contacting clinics directly for specific information on their discount policies. If your local clinic does not provide orthopedic care, get a referral.
- An orthopedic surgeon or a podiatric surgeon would treat a broken foot. A doctor who specializes in sports medicine, such as a family physician or an orthopedic surgeon, could also treat a sports-related injury.
- The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery has a locator tool that allows you to search for orthopedic surgeons by location, state, or zip code. A doctor locator is available from the American Board of Podiatric Surgery. The American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine also has a doctor locator; be sure the doctor is board certified.
How much does it cost to fix a broken bone?
Broken bones aren’t always easy to fix. They can sometimes be accompanied by or contribute to other issues. Serious complications are uncommon, but they are more likely in injuries induced by high force, such as those resulting from car accidents.
This can increase the amount of damage, pain and suffering, as well as the cost of treatment. This is one of the main reasons why the treatment of some broken bones might cost thousands of dollars.
#1. Excessive Bleeding and Disrupted Blood Flow
Many fractures result in visible bleeding in the area of the injury. Most of the time, it isn’t a major problem. Internal bleeding or bleeding from an open wound might, however, cause a life-threatening reduction in blood pressure in specific circumstances, such as those involving huge bones or smashed bones.
Blood flow can be disrupted as a result of a dislocation or break. This can result in certain tissue receiving insufficient blood, which can be a serious concern for the body. In the worst-case situation, it may go undetected, leading to amputation.
#2. Nerve Damage
Nerves can be stretched, damaged, or crushed when a bone is fractured. These injuries typically heal on their own, although they can be extremely painful while doing so. Nerves are torn in rare circumstances, occasionally by sharp bone pieces. Nerve tears do not heal on their own and may require surgical correction.
#3. Pulmonary Embolism
The most common serious complication of a fracture, generally to the hip or pelvis, is pulmonary embolism. When a blood clot forms in a vein, it breaks off and goes to the lungs, blocking an artery. As a result, the body may be deprived of sufficient oxygen.
The most prevalent cause of pulmonary embolism in older persons is a hip fracture. They can, however, happen to anyone who has a major fracture.
#4. Infections
When a bone is shattered and the skin is torn, the wound has a potential of becoming infected. This infection can extend to the bone or blood in some cases, which can be very dangerous and necessitate extensive hospitalization.
#5. Joint problems
The cartilage at the extremities of bones can be damaged by fractures that extend into a joint. Scarring from damaged cartilage makes joints stiff and limits their range of motion. Joint disorders caused by shattered bones frequently necessitate physical therapy. In some circumstances, surgery is required to repair damaged joints.
#6. Osteonecrosis
When a bone’s blood flow is disturbed by a fracture or dislocation, a portion of the bone may perish from a lack of blood. Osteonecrosis is the medical term for this condition. Doctors can usually prevent this before it becomes an issue. Patients may lose function or require amputation if blood flow is obstructed for an extended period of time.
#7. How much will a broken bone cost me?
As you can see, shattered bones and fractures are difficult to treat and can cause a slew of problems. Even if you have health insurance, a seemingly basic fractured bone operation can be quite costly.
When you add up the costs of an emergency room visit, doctor’s fees, lab fees, x-rays, follow-up care fees, braces, slings, bandages, splints, casts, clinic visits, CT scans, and other procedures, the total can soon exceed $10,000.
Physical therapy, if necessary, might add a lot of money to the bill. The expense of treating any nerve damage or other consequences, such as muscular loss, will also rise. There’s no guarantee that all or even most of these expenses will be covered, depending on your insurance policy.
With medical prices rising at an alarming rate, any damage sustained in an accident may end up costing significantly more than you anticipated. Broken bones aren’t any different. Even if you have health insurance, a broken bone can be rather costly.
#8. The Cost of a Broken Leg
A fractured limb might cost tens of thousands of dollars if you don’t have health insurance.
- If you don’t have health insurance, the cost of treating a broken leg can be as high as $2,500 or more, just for a break that requires a cast. An x-ray, on average, costs more than $200, but can cost as much as $1,000, a cast costs around $225, and the doctor’s bill can cost as much as $1,000, in addition to a $200 office visit fee. Fees vary depending on where you live and what the current state of health-care prices are in your area.
- If you have a broken leg that requires surgery and do not have health insurance, surgery for a broken leg can cost anywhere from $17,000 to $35,000 or more.
- A broken leg is usually covered by health insurance, but you are still responsible for copayments and coinsurance. Thousands of dollars may be at stake. This is especially true if you have a large deductible or annual out-of-pocket maximum. This is a regular occurrence with many Healthcare Exchange plans.
#9. The Cost of a Broken Arm
Accidentally breaking your arm is common, but it’s not cheap. In the United States, a broken arm costs the following:
- If you don’t have health insurance, a fractured arm that doesn’t require surgery can cost $2,500 or more to diagnose and cure.
- Without health insurance, a broken arm might cost up to $16,000 or more if surgery is required.
- A fractured arm is usually covered by health insurance. Deductibles on a health insurance coverage purchased through the Healthcare Exchange, on the other hand, may be more than $5,000. As a result, you will be responsible for the entire amount.
In addition, the degree of the break influences how much a fracture costs to treat. Treatment for compound fractures, for example, can be rather costly.
#10. Broken Bones are Serious, Contact an Experienced Chicago Injury Lawyer
If you break a bone in an accident involving another party, whether in a traffic accident or on someone else’s property, the other party may be legally responsible for your damages. You may be able to recover damages from the other motorist or property owner, or from that person’s insurance carrier, regardless of what your insurance covers or does not cover.
It’s critical to look into your legal alternatives if you want to get compensated for your injuries. There’s no reason for you to shoulder all of the costs if someone else is to blame. Furthermore, the legislation establishes time limits for filing a legal claim for compensation following an accident. Don’t hesitate to call a lawyer as soon as possible to ensure that you don’t lose any vital legal rights.
- Collecting your bills and assessing your losses, including non-economic losses, in the past and future
- Managing all aspects of litigation, including continuing settlement talks or even a trial
Financial losses or injury claims should not be added to an already stressful scenario. Allow our personal injury attorneys to handle the situation for you.
How can you tell if you sprained or broke your ankle?
- Was there a commotion when it occurred? A sprain might be silent or produce a popping sound in extreme circumstances. You might hear a crack if you have a fracture.
- Is your ankle crooked? While swelling is a hallmark of both injuries, if your ankle appears to be âoff,â it is almost certainly due to a broken bone.
- Do you have a numb ankle? A sprain causes discomfort. However, if you experience numbness or tingling in your ankle, it is almost certainly broken.
- What is the source of the discomfort? You most likely have a fracture if your ankle hurts or is sore to the touch directly above your ankle bone. A sprain is more likely if the pain is in the soft area of your ankle.
Consult your doctor if you’re still unsure. They can examine your ankle and administer a variety of tests to determine the nature of your injury.
How much does a broken bone cost in America?
If you break a bone and don’t have insurance to cover the bills, you could end up paying a lot of money to heal. For example, the typical out-of-pocket cost of a fractured bone treatment without insurance could be over $2,500 or more. This is primarily for the purpose of diagnosing and treating the injury; it does not account for the possibility of surgery.
If your accident necessitates surgery and you do not have health insurance to cover the costs, you should expect to pay a significant amount of money out of pocket. The cost of surgery for a fractured arm might range from $16,000 to more than $16,000. Treatment for a fractured limb that requires surgery can cost anywhere from $17,000 to $35,000. The cost, however, varies widely depending on where you reside and the typical cost of healthcare in your area.
How much is a sprained ankle worth?
The value of a broken ankle injury can range from $10,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
How much your broken ankle injury settlement is worth is determined by the number of bones you break, which bones you break, and whether or not you require surgery.
What is the average payout for a sprained ankle?
The severity of a sprained ankle varies depending on the severity of the injury. Ankle sprains are graded from mild to severe, with 1 being the mildest and 3 being the most serious.
The bigger the payment value for your sprain, the longer it takes you to recover and the more care you need, with averages ranging from $10,000 to $25,000.
What will an ankle fusion compensation value be based on?
The value of an ankle fusion compensation depends on how many bones you broke in your accident and what level of care you were informed you needed.
Will multiple broken bones increase my ankle injury settlement?
Yes, several broken bones raise the value of your settlement and lead to bigger compensation.
Ankle injuries that break two or more bones in the ankle, such as bimalleolar or trimalleolar fractures, may necessitate surgery and long-term care. This is far more valuable than a broken ankle with only one bone damaged.
How much of a role does pain and suffering play in a broken ankle case?
In fractured ankle situations, pain and suffering play a significant part. If you need surgery, an ankle fusion, or long-term physical treatment, you’ll have a significantly better chance of receiving a large settlement, which is tied to the pain and suffering portion of the judgement.
Does a broken ankle need surgery?
Not all of the time. In some circumstances, a broken ankle can be treated without surgery. When a fractured ankle does not require surgery, however, lower ankle injury lawsuit settlements are common. The payments for cases that require surgery are higher than the norm.
Can you break the front of your ankle?
One or more of the three bones of your ankle joint the fibula, tibia, and talus can be broken by a fall or blow. The knobby knobs at the end of the tibia and fibula can shatter if you roll your ankle. An injury to the bone is a broken or fractured ankle.
What is out-of-pocket maximum in insurance?
The maximum amount you must pay for covered services in a given plan year. After you’ve spent this much on deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance for in-network care and services, your health plan pays for all covered benefits.
The annual out-of-pocket limit for Marketplace plans varies, but it cannot exceed a certain amount.
- For the 2022 plan year, an individual’s out-of-pocket maximum for a Marketplace plan cannot exceed $8,700, and a family’s out-of-pocket limit cannot exceed $17,400.
- For the 2021 plan year, an individual’s out-of-pocket maximum for a Marketplace plan cannot exceed $8,550, and a family’s out-of-pocket limit cannot exceed $17,100.