I am having total knee replacement of my right knee on Tuesday, September 26, 2017. The surgeon has told me that it will require a hospital stay of 2-3 days. Medicare will cover only 80% of the costs and my Blue Cross supplemental Advantage Plan requires copays of $300 per day for the hospital stay and $325 for the surgery. Each follow up with the orthopedic surgeon is a $40 copay.  The recovery period for this surgery at my age is 6-8 weeks.

The surgeon has also informed me that I will need 6 weeks of physical therapy, 2-3 times per week. My copay for each physical therapy visit will be $40, which amounts to $$80-$120 per week for 6 weeks which will amount to $480-$720 total. My wife Susan is taking family medical leave for 5 weeks and 3 weeks of that will be unpaid leave, which amounts to…