# @nickpappasmd on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DcEmvLTpU9K
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/69087767-nickpappasmd-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/f51ac4d373.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-08-15T19:10:26.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Nick Pappas, MD (@nickpappasmd) — https://gondola.cc/nickpappasmd

## Caption

🚨 Medicare is proposing significant reimbursement cuts for orthopedic procedures in 2027 — with some estimates suggesting cuts approaching 20% for procedures like total hip and knee replacements. 🦴💰

These changes are still pending and not finalized, but they could have major consequences if they go through.

And I get it… nobody cares about orthopedic surgeon reimbursement except orthopedic surgeons. 😂

But this isn’t just a physician problem. ⚠️

Continued reimbursement cuts can mean:

👉 More practices deciding they simply can’t afford to accept Medicare
👉 Longer wait times to see specialists ⏳
👉 Longer waits for hip and knee replacements 🦵
👉 Reduced access to care, especially in areas already struggling to recruit physicians 🏥
👉 More downstream pressure on the entire healthcare system 📉

For physicians, this is also another reminder that relying entirely on insurance reimbursement is becoming increasingly difficult.

💡 Building alternative sources of revenue into your practice — medical-legal work ⚖️, selling products you actually believe in 📦, consulting for companies 💼, owning part of your surgery center 🏥, going out-of-network 💵, or developing a concierge/direct-pay component of your practice — can more than make up for the reimbursement cuts insurance companies and government payers continue to hand physicians year after year.

📈 Physicians need to start thinking beyond the traditional model of simply seeing more patients to compensate for lower reimbursement.

📩 If you have questions or want guidance on how I’ve approached this process, message me or email me at nickpappasmd@gmail.com.

#orthopedics #medicare #privatepractice #physicians #healthcare

## Stats

- **Views:** 37,768
- **Likes:** 1,039
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- **Comments:** 138

## Tags

physicians, healthcare, orthopedics, medicare, privatepractice

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