Part II: Mapping the Full Markup on a Hip Implant From Forged Titanium to Patient Bill, and Whether Costco Style Bulk Buying or Reference Pricing Could Actually Close the US Medical Device Price Gap

A hip implant costs $300-600 to manufacture. The hospital invoice is $3,500-7,000. The gap is almost entirely field reps and consignment inventory, not titanium.

Small hospitals pay two to three times more than large systems for the identical part number from the same manufacturer. That gap is well documented and almost never mentioned in the viral threa…