Singelberg Clinic

Knee Replacement Implants burden for the national health insurance in Belgium

During the last 25 years time the number of knee replacements increased eightfold. This is primarily due to aging (more older patients) and thus a greater demand.

But also the lowered threshold is a factor because the implants greatly improved in quality. This tendency has a strong impact on expenditure in the national health insurance of Belgium.

On average the cost of a knee replacement for a patient in a Flemish hospital in a single (private) room is 3370 Euro. In a double room that was Euro 1245, and the patient in a common room (4 patients per room ) , was coughing up 1,000 euros.

The average stay for this procedure was 12 days, but the price varies between hospitals themselves.

Finally, add that the average stay of singles (without a partner) for this procedure was significantly longer than non-singles (vs. 13.6 days. 9.4 days). Probably the hotel function of a hospital is important for them ?

PS : the national insurance always pays an important part of most function treatments. This also applies for knee implants. The amounts mentioned here are the surplus which patients have to pay out of their own pocket.