Regenerative medicine isn’t covered by insurance — and that’s the elephant in the room. Dr. Aneesh Garg, DO, CAQ is being completely transparent about why: the insurance model was built for surgery, medication, and symptom management, not healing. Insurance coverage lags science by decades. But not covered doesn’t mean not proven — and in this episode he breaks down the real math between a PRP injection and a $30,000 to $70,000 knee replacement, why price shopping on regenerative medicine means paying twice, and why the most valuable thing you can buy back is time.
Chapters:
- 00:00 The insurance question nobody wants to answer honestly
- 00:47 Why doesn’t insurance cover PRP or stem cells if they work?
- 00:52 Insurance coverage is a reimbursement policy, not a measure of evidence
- 02:03 If insurance doesn’t cover it, it must not be proven — right?
- 02:07 Wrong — covered treatments like steroid injections are actually harmful
- 03:15 Focused shockwave has FDA clearance — the evidence is there
- 04:38 Know what you’re paying for: focused shockwave vs. radial pressure waves
- 06:30 How to think about the cost of regenerative medicine vs. surgery
- 06:36 A knee replacement costs $30,000 to $70,000 with 6 to 12 months of recovery
- 07:05 PRP with hyaluronic acid: fraction of the cost, no surgical complications, no time off work
- 08:17 Case study: hockey player who couldn’t wait — paid twice for substandard PRP
- 10:56 The real cost isn’t the treatment — it’s whether you’re going to the right place
- 13:08 How Dr. Garg advises patients to think about the investment
- 13:17 What patients say most: “I wish I did this sooner”
- 14:05 50-year-old business owner: PRP vs. $50,000 knee replacement — back to activities sooner
- 16:15 Dr. Garg’s honest take on the cost question
- 18:44 Insurance coverage is a reimbursement policy, not a measurement of evidence
