Powered by our Blue Cross Blue Shield The Health of America report series, we built this infographic to help you explore trends in cost and incidence for elective or planned knee and hip replacement. Knowing these insights could mean higher quality healthcare and significant cost savings for your organization and employees.

Data is from examining the medical claims of 49 million adult BCBS commercially insured members for cost and quality of care for planned knee and hip replacement procedures.

$25 billion was spent on all planned orthopedic procedures for commercially insured BCBS members. That represented a 44 percent increase in cost, although that is largely due to the rise in replacement procedures among Americans ages 35-64 from 2010 to 2017. 242,000 adult BCBS members under the age of 65 underwent a planned knee or hip replacement.

Between 2010 and 2017, planned hip replacements increased 33 percent, and the procedure's cost increased 5 percent. In the same period, planned knee replacements increased 17 percent, and the procedure's cost increased 6 percent.

Increase in procedures for 35 to 64 year olds is driving cost. From 2010 to 2017, planned knee replacement procedures per 1,000 members were down 4 percent among 35 to 44 year olds, up 17 percent among 45 to 54 year olds, and up 18 percent among 55 to 64 year olds. In the same period, planned hip replacements per 1,000 members were up 14 percent among 35 to 44 year olds, up 25 percent among 45 to 54 year olds, and up 42 percent among 55 to 64 year olds.

Key considerations: How common are knee and or hip procedures across your workforce? Has it been steady over recent years? How much of your medical spend is related to these procedures? Has that also changed in recent years? What's your annual trend? How do your orthopedic procedure and spending growth rates compare with the national averages called out in this infographic?

We're here to help answer all your questions regarding cost control and orthopedic care. Visit smarterbetterhealthcare.com to contact you local BCBS company and to read the full ebook, "Controlling Cost as Orthopedic Procedures Rise."