Hinge Health announces results of the largest digital musculoskeletal (MSK) claims study to date, demonstrating an average cost savings of $2,387 per participant and delivering 2.4x ROI for employers using its Digital Musculoskeletal Clinic.

The 136-Employer Medical Claims ROI Study draws on a dataset covering 100 million Americans and examines claims data of more than 8,000 health plan members across 136 employers and 46 industries. Based on a methodology validated by an independent actuarial firm, the two-year medical claims analysis evaluated medical care costs and utilization for those who sought care for back, knee, shoulder, hip, or neck pain before and after the program enrollment.

Key findings from the study include:

  • Lower MSK-related costs – Participants in Hinge Health’s program spent less across all MSK categories, producing a 2.4x ROI driven by an average reduction of $2,387 in MSK medical claims spend per participant compared to the control group.
  • Largest savings driven by lower surgery costs – 39% of the reduced medical claims were due to lower surgery spend, resulting in an average reduction of $926 in surgery medical claims per participant.
  • Fewer participants used MSK services – Fewer Hinge Health participants used MSK services, including imaging, injections, and medical equipment.

Chronic MSK pain is a leading cause of disability and healthcare cost in the United States, affecting more than 50 million people. According to the 2022 State of MSK Health Report, MSK conditions cost the U.S. economy an estimated $600 billion annually, driven by expensive treatments, such as spinal fusions and implants, imaging, and outpatient “spine centers.”

“Medical claims for MSK conditions have doubled in the U.S. over the last decade, despite the population with MSK conditions remaining relatively constant,” said Dr. Jeff Krauss, chief medical officer, Hinge Health. “The sheer scale of our study provides employers with the most comprehensive evidence about the efficacy of our digital MSK offering in addressing chronic pain and reducing claims cost.”

This analysis is aligned with previous studies of Hinge Health medical claims, showing the financial benefits of digital MSK care for the Medicare population and across multiple employers. All three claims studies demonstrate significant savings and more than 2x ROI.

[Source(s): Hinge Health, Business Wire]