{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T02:14:33Z","timestamp":1787019273438,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2017,11,9]],"date-time":"2017-11-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1510185600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Hand (New York, N,Y.)"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2019,3]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Medicare reimbursement is known to exhibit geographic variation for inpatient orthopedic procedures. This study determined whether US geographic variations also exist for commonly performed hand surgeries. Methods: Using the Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data (2012-2013) from Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services, we analyzed regional physician charges\/payments for common outpatient hand surgeries. Results: The most commonly performed procedures in the United States were open carpal tunnel release (n = 21 944), trigger finger release (n = 15 345), endoscopic carpal tunnel release (n = 7106), and basal joint arthroplasty\/ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition (n = 2408). A range of average Medicare physician reimbursements existed based on geographic region for basal joint arthroplasty ($669-$571), endoscopic carpal tunnel release ($400-$317), open carpal tunnel release ($325-$261), and trigger finger release ($215-$167). The latter three exhibited statistically significant variation across geographic regions with regard to both charges and physician reimbursement. However, the overall percentage physician reimbursement (70%-79%) to charges was similar across all geographic regions. Conclusions: In conclusion, further research is warranted to determine why regional or geographic variations in physician payments exist in the United States for commonly performed hand surgeries.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/1558944717734370","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2017,11,9]],"date-time":"2017-11-09T04:11:41Z","timestamp":1510200701000},"page":"209-216","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":35,"title":["Regional Variations of Medicare Physician Payments for Hand Surgery Procedures in the United States"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"David R.","family":"Veltre","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Boston University School of Medicine, MA, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mark","family":"Yakavonis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Boston University School of Medicine, MA, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Emily J.","family":"Curry","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Boston University School of Medicine, MA, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Antonio","family":"Cusano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Boston University School of Medicine, MA, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Robert L.","family":"Parisien","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Boston University School of Medicine, MA, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8563-7307","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Josef K.","family":"Eichinger","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Scott F.M.","family":"Duncan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Boston University School of Medicine, MA, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Andrew B.","family":"Stein","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Boston University School of Medicine, MA, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7577-847X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Xinning","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Boston University School of Medicine, MA, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,11,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-1558944717734370","unstructured":"American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Orthopaedic Code-X. Chicago, IL: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 2015."},{"key":"bibr2-1558944717734370","unstructured":"Census.gov. Census regions and divisions of the United States. http:\/\/www.census.gov. Published 2013."},{"key":"bibr3-1558944717734370","unstructured":"Centers for Medicine & Medicaid Services. National health expenditures 2014 highlights. https:\/\/www.cms.gov\/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems\/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports\/NationalHealthExpendData\/Downloads\/highlights.pdf. Published 2014."},{"key":"bibr4-1558944717734370","unstructured":"Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Behind the numbers: Medicare unmasked. The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, Inc; graphics.wsj.com\/medicare-billing\/. 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Geographic Adjustment of Medicare Payments to Physicians: Evaluation of IOM Recommendations. Executive Summary [Internet]. 2012 July 7, 2016. https:\/\/www.cms.gov\/Medicare\/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment\/PhysicianFeeSched\/Downloads\/Geographic_Adjustment_of_Medicare_Physician_Payments_July2012.pdf."},{"key":"bibr14-1558944717734370","unstructured":"Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data: Physician and Other Supplier [Internet]. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; 2016. https:\/\/www.cms.gov\/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems\/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports\/Medicare-Provider-Charge-Data\/Physician-and-Other-Supplier.html."},{"key":"bibr15-1558944717734370","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jhsa.2015.04.023"},{"key":"bibr16-1558944717734370","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Patel K MD, Brandt C. Making sense of the Medicare physician payment data release: uses, limitations and potential. The Commonwealth Fund. 2014;30:1-6. http:\/\/www.commonwealthfund.org\/~\/media\/files\/publications\/issue-brief\/2014\/nov\/1789_patel_making_sense_medicare_phys_payment_data_release_ib.pdf.","DOI":"10.15868\/socialsector.25018"},{"key":"bibr17-1558944717734370","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1086\/NTJ41789272"},{"key":"bibr18-1558944717734370","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.arth.2014.03.052"},{"key":"bibr19-1558944717734370","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3171\/jns.1997.86.4.0583"},{"key":"bibr20-1558944717734370","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.arth.2014.12.011"},{"key":"bibr21-1558944717734370","volume-title":"The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care","author":"Wennberg J","year":"1999"},{"key":"bibr22-1558944717734370","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1377\/hlthaff.W2.96"}],"container-title":["HAND"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/1558944717734370","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/1558944717734370","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/1558944717734370","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,29]],"date-time":"2026-04-29T07:29:12Z","timestamp":1777447752000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/1558944717734370"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2017,11,9]]},"references-count":22,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2019,3]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/1558944717734370"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/1558944717734370","relation":{},"ISSN":["1558-9447","1558-9455"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1558-9447","type":"print"},{"value":"1558-9455","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2017,11,9]]}}}