Purchasing Insight: Surgical Mesh

Hernia repair is a fairly common procedure, with over one million surgeries performed in the U.S. each year. But reimbursement for hernia repair surgeries is on the decline, which makes securing the best price for surgical mesh a must.

Although surgical mesh, sutures, or staples can be used to repair damage, non-mesh repairs have decreased sharply over the last 30 years and currently account for less than 10 percent of all groin hernia repair technique.

Indicated below is the cost of the two most popular types of synthetic mesh, partially absorbable and non-absorbable, used for inguinal hernia repairs. The large variance in the pricing of non-absorbable surgical mesh is related to the type of material, size, shape, and layering used.

Non-absorbable Surgical Mesh

Low           High            Average Price
$36          $483.10         $177.83

Partially Absorbable Surgical Mesh

Low                 High              Average Price
$105.21          $461.74         $328.01

Lower prices are usually achievable by introducing competitive bids but additional savings can require some creativity such as agreeing to market share commitments. These agreements tend to give providers a good amount of leverage to reduce the price of the mesh. The commitment level is negotiable and can be spread across multiple vendors. If you chose this route, it’s imperative to lock in pricing for the term of your agreement. Also, consider using a trusted source to review your contracts and pricing to make sure the pricing offered is in line with industry standards. 

Data source: MD Buyline
Please note these numbers have been adjusted to exclude special deals, outliers and unique circumstances.