Breaking Down Stem Cell Therapy Cost, Insurance and Financing

For many injuries and chronic conditions, stem cell therapy can be an affordable alternative to surgery. And as more and more people turn to regenerative medicine for orthopedic treatments, sexual health procedures and aesthetic treatments, the beneficial uses for stem cell therapy continue to grow.

While the science of stem cell therapy is clearly defined, how much stem cell therapy costs remains variable.

Currently, most insurance plans do not cover the stem cell injection cost itself. As regenerative medicine continues to grow and become more mainstream, more and more insurance providers will probably add it to plans, eventually. In a purely financial sense, most stem cell treatments cost a fraction of what surgeries do – and often deliver the same or better results with less rehabilitation and down time.

Most insurance companies do, however, cover the other costs associated with stem cell therapy, such as your initial consultation, MRIs, X-rays, ultrasounds, labs, braces and slings, and physical therapy.

As indicated earlier, the cost of stem cell treatment is extremely variable.

First of all, not all doctors or stem cells are created equal. Unfortunately, there are a lot of medical professionals who claim to use stem cells, when in fact, they are injecting amniotic fluid and umbilical cells. While these types of allogeneic cells are safe to use and are often used in conjunction with stem cells in orthobiologics injections, they themselves are not the same “live” stem cells as advertised.

Bottom line: When you’re shopping around, it’s important to know what’s being offered compared to what you’re actually getting. Basically, try not to compare apples to oranges – so to speak.

Second, no two procedures are exactly alike. What works for you may not work for your spouse, and vice versa. Every injury is different, as is the needs of each and every patient.

That said, to give you a bit of a ballpark picture of what you might expect, here is an extremely generalized range of possible stem cell therapy costs:

A “good” procedure – includes prolotherapy and PRP – $1,500+.

A “better” procedure – includes prolotherapy, PRP and stem cells harvested from your fat – $3,000+.

A “best” procedure – includes prolotherapy, PRP, a mix of stem cells from fat and/or bone marrow, and possibly other orthobiologics material – $6,500+.

To be perfectly clear, these are just generalized examples to give you a concept of out-of-pocket stem cell treatment costs. 

Again, not all injuries are the same – and neither are their treatments. “Best” is a relative term. While you might feel that your injury is severe enough to warrant a best-level procedure, your doctor may recommend a less aggressive treatment – one that will not only cost less, but work just as well.

Ultimately, all bodies react differently to treatment and working your way up to “best” may be your best option.

Occasionally, even if the “best” option is absolutely necessary due to the severity of the injury or condition, the patient may not be an ideal candidate for treatment. For example, if a patient needing treatment on her knee is 50 pounds overweight, the resulting 200 pounds of extra pressure on her knees would make the “best” treatment a waste of time and resources. Before receiving that treatment, she would need to lose the excess weight to ensure an optimal outcome.

In the meantime, treating her with a “good” procedure can help bridge the gap and help diminish her pain and symptoms until she is healthy enough to receive full treatment.

Since most stem cell procedures are not covered by insurance, many people consider outside financing. Common financing options include:

• Health savings accounts
• Credit cards with introductory 0% promotions
• Bank transfers
• Pre-payment plans
• Low-rate personal loans

While the out-of-pocket cost of stem cell therapy can seem like a lot, many procedures are comparable to common insurance plan deductibles and the cost of surgery after insurance.

Ultimately, you have to ask yourself how much your health is worth and decide if you want to spend a little now to enjoy your life a lot more later on.

Don’t let the insurance company decide what’s best for your health. Call the Albano Clinic at 385-220-9009 to schedule an in-depth consultation and start moving better, feeling better and living better – today.