Medicare bundled-payments model cut joint replacement costs by more than 20 percent

Bundled payment models can push Medicare and health system costs down considerably without sacrificing quality of care, according to new research. The study evaluated costs and care quality at for hip and knee replacements performed from 2008-2015 at the five-hospital Baptist Health System network in San Antonio, Texas. Results show that the average cost dropped 20.8 percent while the effect on quality of care was unchanged or improved.