How Much Does an Orthofix Bone Stimulator Cost?

Electrical stimulation is an alternative therapy (PEMF) that has grown in popularity in recent years, particularly for bone healing. Devices such as bone stimulators are used for fractures that have failed to heal on their own. These types of fractures are called “nonunions”. Nonunions can occur when there is a lack of stability, blood flow, or both. Infections are also a cause of nonunions, especially after surgery.

A bone stimulator delivers ultrasonic or pulsed electromagnetic waves to the nonunion site to stimulate healing.

Orthofix is a popular bone growth stimulator devices manufacturer, that has designed three models classified into the class III medical devices.

How Much Does an Orthofix Bone Stimulator Cost?

The cost of an Orthofix bone growth stimulator will usually be $850 to more than $2,000, depending on the brand and model you choose. In the table below you will find the average costs of some common models of bone growth stimulators.

Note: These price estimates are available only for the bone growth therapy device itself without health insurance. It should also be noted that many clients notice that insurance companies are usually charged inflated fees. Sometimes these costs may be as high as $5,100. This is the cost you would have to pay if you choose to pay cash for the device. Keep in mind that these are available only for the device and do not include doctor visits, tests, surgeon fees, and others.

According to the global medical equipment platform, MedWow.com, the cost of a used Orthofix bone stimulator starts at around $180 and goes up to more than $520.

You can also find different used Orthofix bone stimulators on Amazon.com for costs of less than $550.

Orthofix bone growth stimulator models

• The Orthofix CervicalStim™ has an overall success rate of 84% and is the only approved adjunctive treatment option for cervical fusions. If used adjunctively to a surgical procedure, the success rate can be raised by 22%.
• The Orthofix Physio-Stim® has an overall success rate of 80%. It has a higher success rate in the treatment of nonunion fractures. Patients can wear it with external or internal fixation. According to the company, this model offers a non-invasive and safer option for treating fractures that are hard to heal.
• The Orthofix Spinal Stim™ has an overall success rate of 92% and is designed for spinal fusion. When used as an adjunct during surgery, this device is known for offering a 36% increase in the success of lumbar fusion.

What are the additional expenses?

As we already mentioned above, the estimated prices are available only for the device. When you take into consideration the surgeon fees, doctor visits, and other related medical costs, your expenses would easily exceed $5,200.

You might also like our articles about the cost of bone growth stimulators, bone density scans, or Exogen bone healing systems.

Your doctor may also recommend increasing your daily intake of vitamin D, vitamin C, and calcium during the treatment process. This can encourage the bones to produce new, healthy cells to aid in the healing process.

According to medical supply retailers, the battery for Orthofix bone stimulators will last only for an average of ten treatment hours. They highly recommend charging this device after each treatment. It is known that the battery lasts around one year.

Important things to consider

All new Orthofix bone stimulator devices come with one year warranty.

If you want to purchase a new Orthofix bone stimulator, you will need a prescription from your doctor to prove that it is a medical necessity. However, anyone can buy a used device without a prescription. But this activity can be deemed as illegal because the bone stimulator is a prescription-only medical device.

You can use any solvents for cleaning the device. Use a soft and damp cloth to wipe the surfaces, and for cleaning the foam inserts use cold water and a mild detergent.

When using the bone stimulator, the treatment schedule will depend on your doctor’s prescription. If you and your doctor decide on this non-surgical treatment method, the stimulator will be placed on your skin near the place where the nonunion is for 20 minutes to several hours a day.

According to Orthofix representatives, the average device can be used up to three hundred times. You should check its manual to see how many uses it is capable to handle.

Tips for saving money

Take into consideration selling your device when you finish your treatment in order to recover a part of the cost. Though, it is recommended to keep the device in case you will need it in the future for other treatments.

Consider buying a used Orthofix bone stimulator in order to save money.

Contact your health insurance company and ask if they cover the costs of the Orthofix bine stimulator treatment. Depending on your circumstances, oftentimes, Medicare and private insurance plans may cover the costs. Most insurance companies and doctors will be able to tell you whether you are going to qualify for this type of coverage.