When will medicare pay for total knee replacement?

When indicated: Medicare will pay for a total knee when it is medically indicated, which would typically mean when the patient has severe arthritis that limits their function. You would have to be a medicare beneficiary, which typically means you would be over the age of 65, although there are a few exceptions to this.

Medicare total knee: Medicare has specific rules and requirements before they will pay for a total knee replacement for members. Patients need to have arthritis that is painful. They must have had 90 days of documented conservative treatment that has failed to relieve the patients pain. This includes nsaids, pt, cortisone, and hylauronic acid injections & arthroscopy. Xray must show advanced arthritis of the knee.