The Changing Economic Value and Leverage of Arthroplasty Surgeons.

Moving THA off of the Inpatient Only (IPO) List for Center of Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) beneficiaries and the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a shift in delivery away from inpatient services and a decrease in demand. Medicare payments dramatically declined from 2019 to 2020. LOS decreases and shift to outpatient designations were accelerated by IPO list changes and COVID-19 issues. The percentage of SDD cases also increased. Other metrics favorable to decreased spending by CMS were increased discharge to home and decreased volume. These changes have a profound impact on surgeon-hospital relationships and surgeon compensation.