Max Courtney, MD: Medicare Cuts, AAHKS Advocacy & the Future of Joint Replacement

Maxwell Courtney, MD joins Episode 46 of The Joint Replacement Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about arthroplasty, research, health policy, and one of the biggest challenges currently facing joint replacement surgeons.Dr. Courtney is Division Chief of Adult Reconstruction at Rothman Orthopaedics, an accomplished joint replacement surgeon and researcher, and Chair of the AAHKS Advocacy Committee. He was also my chief resident during my orthopedic training at Penn and someone I have looked up to throughout my career.We discuss Max’s path into adult reconstruction, building a successful surgical practice, mentorship, research, evidence-based medicine, and how joint replacement has transformed over the past decade through TXA, multimodal pain management, rapid recovery protocols, and outpatient surgery.Then we turn to the proposed Medicare reimbursement cuts facing total hip and knee replacement. Max explains how CMS and the AMA RUC value physician work, why increasingly efficient outpatient care has triggered another review of arthroplasty codes, and why much of the postoperative work performed by modern orthopedic teams may not be captured in the current reimbursement system.We also discuss Max’s recent trip to Washington, DC, his conversations with members of Congress, the AAHKS strategy to push back against the cuts, the potential consequences for Medicare access and private practice, and his prediction for what may happen when the final 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule is released.This is an important conversation about not only what surgeons are paid, but how reimbursement policy may shape patient access, physician independence, and the future of joint replacement in the United States.