If you’ve got a troublesome hip, you might be considering surgery to relieve the pain and regain mobility. But, of course, private treatment comes at a cost and the public system is beset with long waiting lists.
So how much does private hip replacement surgery cost? And if you can’t afford private healthcare, what are the alternatives? Canstar explores the answers to these questions.
What is hip replacement surgery?
Hip replacement surgery is most commonly performed to relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a condition that occurs when the cartilage that protects the ball at the end of the femur (thigh bone) and the socket it fits into in the pelvis breaks down, and the bones start to rub together painfully.
The surgery involves replacing the ball at the end of the femur with a metal implant, which is inserted into the thigh bone. The ball-shaped implant is topped with a plastic liner that acts like the joint’s natural cartilage, which reduces friction and acts as shock absorber as the hip moves.
While the operation itself is brief, usually under two hours, the recovery period is a lot longer. You can expect to spend two to three nights in hospital, and full recovery takes weeks.
It can be between six and eight weeks before you can expect to drive, or be back at a desk job. And those with active jobs involving a lot of movement can be out of action even longer.
How much does a hip replacement cost?
According to claims figures from Southern Cross Health Insurance in New Zealand over the past two years, the cost of a hip replacement surgery ranges between $$25,100 – $30,800.
How long do you have to wait for hip replacement surgery?
While a hip replacement isn’t cheap, it is available through the public health care system. However, the wait times are considerable.
Depending on where you live, it’s not uncommon to wait for up to 47 weeks for an appointment with a specialist and then, if you make the hip-replacement waiting list, a further six months to a year for the operation.
Of course, if you have the money to pay for the surgery, or it’s covered by your health insurance policy, you won’t have to wait. In this case, scheduling your recovery period around work and family commitments is likely to be your biggest concern.
Will health insurance pay for a hip replacement?
Most comprehensive surgical health insurance plans have provisions for operations such as hip replacements. However, health insurance policies don’t usually cover pre-existing conditions.
This means that if you already have problems with your hip(s), taking out a health insurance policy won’t be a short-cut to hip replacement surgery.
Therefore, if you are concerned about the possibility of requiring hip replacement surgery in the future, it’s worth considering arranging your cover now, well before problems arise, to ensure peace of mind.
Compare Health Insurance with Canstar
About the author of this page
Bruce Pitchers is the Content Manager at Canstar New Zealand. An experienced finance reporter, Bruce has three decades’ experience as a journalist and has worked for major media companies in Australia, the UK and New Zealand, including ACP, Are Media, Bauer Media Group, Fairfax, Pacific Magazines, News Corp and TVNZ.
Bruce started his career as an entertainment journalist before turning his pen to sport and fitness content, working for some of Australia’s leading sports magazines. Bruce then moved his focus to the world of finance and worked as a freelance writer and editor for The Australian Financial Review, the NZ Financial Markets Authority and major banks and investment companies on both sides of the Tasman.
In his role at Canstar, he has been a regular commentator in the NZ media, including on the Driven, Stuff and One Roof websites, the NZ Herald’s Cooking the Books podcast, Radio NZ, and Newstalk ZB.
Away from his desk at Canstar, Bruce spends many hours creating and editing puzzles for magazine and newspaper titles in the USA and Australasia, including Woman’s Day and New Idea. To that end, he is the co-author of the murder-mystery puzzle book 5 Minute Murder.
Share this article