Primary total knee replacement — Canada: What it costs and how long people wait

Official figures and published prices. Each figure retains its source, date and scope. Public tariffs are health-system payments, not private quotes; recorded waits do not promise a current appointment.

The answer from the data

British Columbia: 22 weeks — median waiting time, patients who were treated (2026-04-01/2026-06-30). Source: British Columbia Ministry of Health · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1

Your options

Care Path for Canada. Explore public care and possible funding before comparing private providers. Your clinician and payer decide suitability and eligibility.

Information, not medical or legal advice.

Your public health system

Start with your usual doctor or public insurer to discuss a referral for this treatment.

Who can use it: Check eligibility and treatment coverage with your public insurer; residence alone does not establish entitlement.

Cost to you: varies — Confirm a written patient price or funding decision.

Reported public wait:

British Columbia: 22 weeks — median waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: British Columbia Ministry of Health · Source period: 2026-04-01/2026-06-30 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Canada (British Columbia). Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Official BC surgical procedure-group percentile, all ages, scheduled inpatient/day surgeries. Wait Two begins when the health authority receives the booking form. Includes revision procedures and therefore is broader than the primary replacement basket. Consult wait excluded. No averaging of facility or authority percentiles. Definitions: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/surgical-wait-times/understanding-wait-times/wait-time-procedure-groupings

Methodology and exclusions

British Columbia: 58.9 weeks — 90% of patients who were treated waited this long or less

Source: British Columbia Ministry of Health · Source period: 2026-04-01/2026-06-30 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Canada (British Columbia). Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: p90. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Methodology and exclusions

Nova Scotia: 138 days — median waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: Nova Scotia Health · Source period: 2025-04-01/2025-06-30 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Canada (Nova Scotia). Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Patient Access Registry Nova Scotia historical completed surgery waits in days; primary replacements and first cataract surgery. Referral-to-consultation wait is separate. Provincial quarterly aggregate, not a national estimate. Open-data dataset is a historical snapshot; newer clinical website results may differ.

Methodology and exclusions

Nova Scotia: 445 days — 90% of patients who were treated waited this long or less

Source: Nova Scotia Health · Source period: 2025-04-01/2025-06-30 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Canada (Nova Scotia). Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: p90. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Methodology and exclusions

Ask your doctor whether this treatment is appropriate.
Confirm coverage, referral requirements and the current waiting list with your insurer or hospital.

Public care information · Guidance reviewed: 2026-10-15

Provincial approval for treatment outside Canada

Ask your provincial or territorial plan about funding before booking. Ontario OHIP requires written prior approval for approved out-of-country services; British Columbia MSP also has an elective-care approval process.

Who can use it: Check eligibility with your own provincial or territorial insurer. Ontario and BC rules are examples, not Canada-wide approval or a guarantee for this treatment.

Cost to you: varies — Confirm a written patient price or funding decision.

Reported public wait: No official figure available for this route.

Ask your treating doctor to document the clinical need.
Contact your provincial plan for its criteria and application.
Wait for a written funding decision and confirm uncovered charges before booking.

OHIP prior approval · Ontario only · Guidance reviewed: 2026-10-15

MSP approval · British Columbia only · Guidance reviewed: 2026-10-15

Canadian health system · Guidance reviewed: 2026-10-15

Private care near home

Ask local providers for a written quote for the complete episode of care.

Who can use it: Check clinical suitability and payment arrangements with the provider.

Cost to you: varies — Confirm a written patient price or funding decision.

Reported public wait: No official figure available for this route.

Ask for a full written price and exclusions.
Confirm follow-up and how complications would be handled.

Compare private options below

Published waits are historical statistics, not an appointment forecast. Costs and waits are unknown unless a source is shown. Private comparisons below are in USD; official figures retain their source currency.

Official public tariff

No official figure yet. How we collect official figures

No eligible price in this subset.

Official wait

British Columbia: 22 weeks — median waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: British Columbia Ministry of Health · Source period: 2026-04-01/2026-06-30 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Canada (British Columbia). Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Methodology and exclusions

British Columbia: 58.9 weeks — 90% of patients who were treated waited this long or less

Source: British Columbia Ministry of Health · Source period: 2026-04-01/2026-06-30 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Canada (British Columbia). Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: p90. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Methodology and exclusions

Nova Scotia: 138 days — median waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: Nova Scotia Health · Source period: 2025-04-01/2025-06-30 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Canada (Nova Scotia). Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Methodology and exclusions

Nova Scotia: 445 days — 90% of patients who were treated waited this long or less

Source: Nova Scotia Health · Source period: 2025-04-01/2025-06-30 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Canada (Nova Scotia). Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: p90. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Methodology and exclusions

Compare other countries with data

Check scope, payer, statistic, population and period. Figures may cover different services; they are not a clinical ranking.

Chile

Official public tariff

Beneficiary tranche B: Primary knee replacement; Beneficiary tranche C: Primary knee replacement; Beneficiary tranche D: Primary knee replacement

CLP 6,529,650 (FONASA, 2026): official public payment benchmark, not a self-pay patient price; coverage and eligibility vary.

3 tariff codes at the same value

Source: FONASA · Source period: 2026 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=3 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Chile. Payer context: Public tariff. Grupo 33 SAP total intervention tariff; beneficiary tranche and hip age restriction retained in evidence; inclusions unverified. Source code: 3301001.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Methodology and exclusions

What this figure covers

Scope: Chile. Payer context: Public tariff. Grupo 33 SAP total intervention tariff; beneficiary tranche and hip age restriction retained in evidence; inclusions unverified. Source code: 3302001.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Methodology and exclusions

What this figure covers

Scope: Chile. Payer context: Public tariff. Grupo 33 SAP total intervention tariff; beneficiary tranche and hip age restriction retained in evidence; inclusions unverified. Source code: 3303001.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Methodology and exclusions

Official wait

1,181 days — median waiting time, patients still on the public waiting list

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Chile. Population: patients still on the public waiting list. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Patients still on elective list at national census date; not completed-treatment duration. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. Public hospitals only. OECD source methods combine GES SIGGES and non-GES SIGTE; this is not asserted to be an exclusively non-GES cohort. National codes differ from ICD-9-CM. Provisional published value.

Methodology and exclusions

797 days — median waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Chile. Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Completed elective treatment: specialist assessment/list entry to admission, subject to national deviations. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. Public hospitals only. OECD source methods combine GES SIGGES and non-GES SIGTE; this is not asserted to be an exclusively non-GES cohort. National codes differ from ICD-9-CM. Provisional published value.

Methodology and exclusions

1,319 days — average waiting time, patients still on the public waiting list

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Chile. Population: patients still on the public waiting list. Reported statistic: average waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Methodology and exclusions

938 days — average waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Chile. Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: average waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Completed elective treatment: specialist assessment/list entry to admission, subject to national deviations. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. Public hospitals only. OECD source methods combine GES SIGGES and non-GES SIGTE; this is not asserted to be an exclusively non-GES cohort. National codes differ from ICD-9-CM. Provisional published value.

Methodology and exclusions

Denmark

Official public tariff

No official figure yet. How we collect official figures

No eligible price in this subset.

Official wait

55 days — median waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Denmark. Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Completed elective treatment: specialist assessment/list entry to admission, subject to national deviations. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. Publicly funded patients in public/private hospitals; active waiting time only. From 2020 this is referral to treatment start, with surgery within 3 days; not strictly specialist assessment to treatment. Published definition differs from standard.

Methodology and exclusions

74 days — average waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Denmark. Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: average waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Completed elective treatment: specialist assessment/list entry to admission, subject to national deviations. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. Publicly funded patients in public/private hospitals; active waiting time only. From 2020 this is referral to treatment start, with surgery within 3 days; not strictly specialist assessment to treatment. Published definition differs from standard.

Methodology and exclusions

70 days — average waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: Danish Health Data Authority · Source period: 2020-Q1 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Denmark. Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: average waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical national artificial-knee surgical-treatment mean, 2020 Q1, cited in a 2023 official statistical release. Excludes investigation and patient-selected postponement; episode severity and primary/revision are unspecified. This is not a current wait estimate.

Methodology and exclusions

Spain

Official public tariff

No official figure yet. How we collect official figures

No eligible price in this subset.

Official wait

105 days — average waiting time, patients still on the public waiting list

Source: Spain Ministry of Health · Source period: 2025-12-31 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Spain. Population: patients still on the public waiting list. Reported statistic: average waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Methodology and exclusions

Finland

Official public tariff

No official figure yet. How we collect official figures

No eligible price in this subset.

Official wait

215.8 days — average waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Finland. Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: average waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Completed elective treatment: specialist assessment/list entry to admission, subject to national deviations. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. THL Care Register, elective inpatient/day cases with known waits; excludes negative waiting dates. Source warns reliability of waiting-list entry dates can be questioned.

Methodology and exclusions

193 days — median waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Finland. Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Completed elective treatment: specialist assessment/list entry to admission, subject to national deviations. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. THL Care Register, elective inpatient/day cases with known waits; excludes negative waiting dates. Source warns reliability of waiting-list entry dates can be questioned.

Methodology and exclusions

France

Official public tariff

€6,262.33 (ATIH, 2026): official public payment benchmark, not a self-pay patient price; coverage and eligibility vary.

Source: ATIH · Source period: 2026 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: France. Payer context: Public tariff. GHS public-sector base tariff from 2026 schedule; source DATE-EFFET retained separately. Source code: 08C241.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Administrative GHS baseline; group includes related procedures and may not prove all basket inclusions. Geographic/prudential adjustments, supplements and separately reimbursed devices excluded.

Methodology and exclusions

Official wait

No eligible waiting time in this subset.

United Kingdom

Official public tariff

£7,396 (England, 2026/27): official NHS hospital tariff, not a self-pay patient price.

Source: NHS England · Source period: 2026/27 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: United Kingdom (England). Payer context: Public tariff. Combined day case / ordinary elective spell unit price before market forces factor. Source code: HN22E.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

NHS administrative baseline; local MFF, excess bed days and applicable adjustments excluded. HRG case mix and episode inclusions require review.

Methodology and exclusions

Published private package prices

Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital: published approximate guide price 16,940 GBP (22,474.3 USD; USD conversion: ECB/Frankfurter, 2026-10-14, 1 GBP = 1.3267 USD). Payer context: Published private package. Scope: Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital. Source period: 2026-10-14. Captured: 2026-10-14. n=1. Episode equivalence unverified. Published guide price is an approximation of treatment only. Diagnostic/investigative tests are separate. Final price varies with consultant fees, prosthesis, drugs and pre-existing conditions; a fixed all-inclusive quotation follows consultation. Package equivalence, colonoscopy sedation and cataract follow-up are not established. Not a median or a guaranteed minimum.

Source: Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital

Scope and inclusions from the source

Knee Replacement £16,940

Nuffield Health Cambridge Hospital: published approximate guide price 20,120 GBP (26,693.2 USD; USD conversion: ECB/Frankfurter, 2026-10-14, 1 GBP = 1.3267 USD). Payer context: Published private package. Scope: Nuffield Health Cambridge Hospital. Source period: 2026-10-14. Captured: 2026-10-14. n=1. Episode equivalence unverified. Published guide price is an approximation of treatment only. Diagnostic/investigative tests are separate. Final price varies with consultant fees, prosthesis, drugs and pre-existing conditions; a fixed all-inclusive quotation follows consultation. Package equivalence, colonoscopy sedation and cataract follow-up are not established. Not a median or a guaranteed minimum.

Source: Nuffield Health Cambridge Hospital

Scope and inclusions from the source

Knee Replacement £20,120

Ramsay New Hall Hospital: from 16,665 GBP (22,109.46 USD; USD conversion: ECB/Frankfurter, 2026-10-14, 1 GBP = 1.3267 USD). Payer context: Published private package. Scope: Ramsay New Hall Hospital. Source period: 2026-10-14. Captured: 2026-10-14. n=1. Episode equivalence unverified. Published minimum guide price, not a guaranteed quotation or median. Component-level inclusions/exclusions, implant type, laterality, consultant/anaesthetist fees and follow-up are not established on this price list; cataract one-eye equivalence and diagnostic-only colonoscopy are unconfirmed. Contact hospital for a quotation. Combined colonoscopy/gastroscopy and finance repayments are excluded from extraction.

Source: Ramsay New Hall Hospital

Scope and inclusions from the source

Knee Replacement from £16,665.00

Official wait

England: Trauma and Orthopaedic Service (specialty-level wait, not a procedure-specific wait): 13.77 weeks — median waiting time, patients still on the public waiting list

Source: NHS England (Referral to Treatment) · Source period: August 2026 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: United Kingdom (England). Population: patients still on the public waiting list. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Specialty-level proxy, not a procedure waiting time. Incomplete consultant-led referral-to-treatment pathways at month end; includes diagnostics and appointments. Published NHS median/p92 are estimates from aggregate data; values are copied, never calculated from bins. One specialty is intentionally referenced by multiple basket items; do not count these as independent cohorts.

Methodology and exclusions

England: Trauma and Orthopaedic Service (specialty-level wait, not a procedure-specific wait): 41.72 weeks — 92% of patients still on the public waiting list waited this long or less

Source: NHS England (Referral to Treatment) · Source period: August 2026 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: United Kingdom (England). Population: patients still on the public waiting list. Reported statistic: p92. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Methodology and exclusions

Scotland: Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery (C8); inpatient/day-case stage of treatment; completed waits (specialty-level wait, not a procedure-specific wait): 202 days — median waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: Public Health Scotland · Source period: August 2026 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: United Kingdom (Scotland). Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Published specialty-level stage-of-treatment wait, not a procedure-specific wait or full referral-to-treatment pathway. The same specialty statistic may appear for multiple basket procedures; do not count those as independent patient cohorts.

Methodology and exclusions

Scotland: Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery (C8); inpatient/day-case stage of treatment; completed waits (specialty-level wait, not a procedure-specific wait): 468 days — 90% of patients who were treated waited this long or less

Source: Public Health Scotland · Source period: August 2026 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: United Kingdom (Scotland). Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: p90. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Methodology and exclusions

Scotland: Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery (C8); inpatient/day-case stage of treatment; ongoing waits (specialty-level wait, not a procedure-specific wait): 159 days — median waiting time, patients still on the public waiting list

Source: Public Health Scotland · Source period: August 2026 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: United Kingdom (Scotland). Population: patients still on the public waiting list. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Methodology and exclusions

Scotland: Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery (C8); inpatient/day-case stage of treatment; ongoing waits (specialty-level wait, not a procedure-specific wait): 375 days — 90% of patients still on the public waiting list waited this long or less

Source: Public Health Scotland · Source period: August 2026 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: United Kingdom (Scotland). Population: patients still on the public waiting list. Reported statistic: p90. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Methodology and exclusions

India

Official public tariff

Package A: Primary knee replacement

₹41,300 (2022): public PM-JAY treatment payment benchmark, not a self-pay patient price. Separately listed implants are excluded.

Published range: 36,400–43,600 INR across 3 city-tier observations

Source: PM-JAY · Source period: 2022 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=3 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: India. Payer context: Public tariff. HBP 2022 city-tier procedure tariff; separately mapped implants are excluded; state amendments/accreditation incentives not applied. Source code: SB039A. The displayed figure is the median of the eligible published tariff cells.

n=3 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Methodology and exclusions

Official wait

No eligible waiting time in this subset.

Italy

Official public tariff

No official figure yet. How we collect official figures

No eligible price in this subset.

Official wait

88 days — average waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Italy. Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: average waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Completed elective treatment: specialist assessment/list entry to admission, subject to national deviations. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. National hospital discharge database; cataract ambulatory procedures without hospital admission are undercounted. National procedure-code deviations apply. Provisional published value. Published definition differs from standard.

Methodology and exclusions

45 days — median waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Italy. Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Completed elective treatment: specialist assessment/list entry to admission, subject to national deviations. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. National hospital discharge database; cataract ambulatory procedures without hospital admission are undercounted. National procedure-code deviations apply. Provisional published value. Published definition differs from standard.

Methodology and exclusions

Norway

Official public tariff

No official figure yet. How we collect official figures

No eligible price in this subset.

Official wait

236.6 days — average waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2023 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Norway. Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: average waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Completed elective treatment: specialist assessment/list entry to admission, subject to national deviations. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. Norwegian Patient Register. Wait starts when GP referral is received, earlier than specialist assessment; therefore OECD flags a definition difference. Latest available series here is 2023. Published definition differs from standard.

Methodology and exclusions

218 days — median waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2023 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Norway. Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Completed elective treatment: specialist assessment/list entry to admission, subject to national deviations. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. Norwegian Patient Register. Wait starts when GP referral is received, earlier than specialist assessment; therefore OECD flags a definition difference. Latest available series here is 2023. Published definition differs from standard.

Methodology and exclusions

New Zealand

Official public tariff

No official figure yet. How we collect official figures

No eligible price in this subset.

Official wait

181.9 days — average waiting time, patients still on the public waiting list

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: New Zealand. Population: patients still on the public waiting list. Reported statistic: average waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Patients still on elective list at national census date; not completed-treatment duration. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. NBRS national procedure-category selection, published estimates. 2024 provisional; yearly completed cohort and December waiting-list census. Historical revision in 2025 edition; published values copied without estimation. Provisional published value.

Methodology and exclusions

234.8 days — average waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: New Zealand. Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: average waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Completed elective treatment: specialist assessment/list entry to admission, subject to national deviations. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. NBRS national procedure-category selection, published estimates. 2024 provisional; yearly completed cohort and December waiting-list census. Historical revision in 2025 edition; published values copied without estimation. Provisional published value.

Methodology and exclusions

217 days — median waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: New Zealand. Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Completed elective treatment: specialist assessment/list entry to admission, subject to national deviations. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. NBRS national procedure-category selection, published estimates. 2024 provisional; yearly completed cohort and December waiting-list census. Historical revision in 2025 edition; published values copied without estimation. Provisional published value.

Methodology and exclusions

154 days — median waiting time, patients still on the public waiting list

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: New Zealand. Population: patients still on the public waiting list. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Patients still on elective list at national census date; not completed-treatment duration. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. NBRS national procedure-category selection, published estimates. 2024 provisional; yearly completed cohort and December waiting-list census. Historical revision in 2025 edition; published values copied without estimation. Provisional published value.

Methodology and exclusions

Poland

Official public tariff

No official figure yet. How we collect official figures

No eligible price in this subset.

Official wait

289.5 days — median of reported average waiting time; 210 providers, patients who were treated

Source: NFZ · Source period: September 2026 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=223 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Poland. Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: average waiting time. Unweighted median of provider statistics; sites per provider are consolidated first. This is not a patient-level national average or median.

n=223 eligible observations; 210 providers; 1 observations excluded. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Routine NFZ benefit cohort; revisions, technique and episode inclusions are not isolated. Provider-reported mean for patients removed after treatment; excludes current waiting-list age and first available date.

Additional source pages: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Methodology and exclusions

Portugal

Official public tariff

No official figure yet. How we collect official figures

No eligible price in this subset.

Official wait

142 days — median waiting time, patients still on the public waiting list

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Portugal. Population: patients still on the public waiting list. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Patients still on elective list at national census date; not completed-treatment duration. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. SIGLIC hospital operational data; 2024 extract 2025-03-08; national procedure crosswalk includes ICD-9/10.

Methodology and exclusions

160.7 days — median waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Portugal. Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Completed elective treatment: specialist assessment/list entry to admission, subject to national deviations. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. SIGLIC hospital operational data; 2024 extract 2025-03-08; national procedure crosswalk includes ICD-9/10.

Methodology and exclusions

176.8 days — average waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Portugal. Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: average waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Completed elective treatment: specialist assessment/list entry to admission, subject to national deviations. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. SIGLIC hospital operational data; 2024 extract 2025-03-08; national procedure crosswalk includes ICD-9/10.

Methodology and exclusions

288.8 days — average waiting time, patients still on the public waiting list

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Portugal. Population: patients still on the public waiting list. Reported statistic: average waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Patients still on elective list at national census date; not completed-treatment duration. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. SIGLIC hospital operational data; 2024 extract 2025-03-08; national procedure crosswalk includes ICD-9/10.

Methodology and exclusions

Sweden

Official public tariff

No official figure yet. How we collect official figures

No eligible price in this subset.

Official wait

88 days — median waiting time, patients still on the public waiting list

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Sweden. Population: patients still on the public waiting list. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Patients still on elective list at national census date; not completed-treatment duration. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. SKR/SALAR national waiting-time database. Procedure coverage varies; acute cases are generally excluded but malignancy and hip fracture are not explicitly excluded.

Methodology and exclusions

111 days — median waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Sweden. Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Completed elective treatment: specialist assessment/list entry to admission, subject to national deviations. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. SKR/SALAR national waiting-time database. Procedure coverage varies; acute cases are generally excluded but malignancy and hip fracture are not explicitly excluded.

Methodology and exclusions

151.4 days — average waiting time, patients still on the public waiting list

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Sweden. Population: patients still on the public waiting list. Reported statistic: average waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Patients still on elective list at national census date; not completed-treatment duration. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. SKR/SALAR national waiting-time database. Procedure coverage varies; acute cases are generally excluded but malignancy and hip fracture are not explicitly excluded.

Methodology and exclusions

156.2 days — average waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: data3-official-oecd · Source period: 2024 · Captured: 2026-10-15 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Sweden. Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: average waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Historical official OECD statistical republication; newest available year separately for each country/procedure/statistic/population, not a current appointment estimate. Completed elective treatment: specialist assessment/list entry to admission, subject to national deviations. Procedure-group proxy: hip includes partial and revision replacements, knee includes revisions, cataract has no verified one-eye restriction, and PTCA does not establish stent use. SKR/SALAR national waiting-time database. Procedure coverage varies; acute cases are generally excluded but malignancy and hip fracture are not explicitly excluded.

Methodology and exclusions

United States

Official public tariff

US$1,154.23 (January 2026): Medicare doctor fee benchmark, not a complete patient bill. Hospital, anaesthesia and implant are excluded.

Source: US Medicare (CMS) · Source period: January 2026 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=109 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: United States. Payer context: Public tariff. PFS professional fee in facility; non-QP; excludes hospital, anaesthesia and implant. Source code: 27447. The displayed figure is the median of the eligible published tariff cells.

n=109 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Methodology and exclusions

US$13,116.76 (October 2026): Medicare outpatient hospital payment benchmark, not a self-pay price. The separate doctor fee is excluded.

Source: US Medicare (CMS) · Source period: October 2026 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: United States. Payer context: Public tariff. OPPS national unadjusted hospital outpatient facility payment; excludes separate professional fee. Source code: 27447.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Methodology and exclusions

Official wait

No eligible waiting time in this subset.

Plan the trip around this procedure

What to arrange if you travel for this procedure.

Flights: choose flexible tickets and ask your surgeon when it is safe to fly home.
Stay near the clinic: ask the center how long to remain nearby and confirm travel timing with your clinician before booking.
Airport transfer: ask the clinic whether it is included.
Phone and data: arrange mobile data before you land so the clinic can reach you.
Travel insurance: standard policies often exclude planned treatment abroad; check cover for complications before you book.
Documents: bring your medical records, imaging and a medication list, in English or the local language.
Companion: for surgery, consider travelling with someone who can help during recovery.

Frequently asked questions

What waiting time has been reported? (British Columbia; median; 2026-04-01/2026-06-30; ca-bc)

22 weeks — median waiting time, patients who were treated. Source period: 2026-04-01/2026-06-30. Captured: 2026-10-14. n=1. Source: https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/7c1bf2a8-96bb-4ad5-888d-a90672eb306e/resource/0c430fa8-043c-48d8-8e61-ecdab63b9ef3/download/2026_2027-quarterly-surgical_wait_times-q1-interim.xlsx. Official BC surgical procedure-group percentile, all ages, scheduled inpatient/day surgeries. Wait Two begins when the health authority receives the booking form. Includes revision procedures and therefore is broader than the primary replacement basket. Consult wait excluded. No averaging of facility or authority percentiles. Definitions: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/surgical-wait-times/understanding-wait-times/wait-time-procedure-groupings

What waiting time has been reported? (British Columbia; p90; 2026-04-01/2026-06-30; ca-bc)

58.9 weeks — 90% of patients who were treated waited this long or less. Source period: 2026-04-01/2026-06-30. Captured: 2026-10-14. n=1. Source: https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/7c1bf2a8-96bb-4ad5-888d-a90672eb306e/resource/0c430fa8-043c-48d8-8e61-ecdab63b9ef3/download/2026_2027-quarterly-surgical_wait_times-q1-interim.xlsx. Official BC surgical procedure-group percentile, all ages, scheduled inpatient/day surgeries. Wait Two begins when the health authority receives the booking form. Includes revision procedures and therefore is broader than the primary replacement basket. Consult wait excluded. No averaging of facility or authority percentiles. Definitions: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/surgical-wait-times/understanding-wait-times/wait-time-procedure-groupings

What waiting time has been reported? (Nova Scotia; median; 2025-04-01/2025-06-30; ca-ns)

138 days — median waiting time, patients who were treated. Source period: 2025-04-01/2025-06-30. Captured: 2026-10-14. n=1. Source: https://data.novascotia.ca/api/views/wu5w-qxki/rows.csv?accessType=DOWNLOAD. Patient Access Registry Nova Scotia historical completed surgery waits in days; primary replacements and first cataract surgery. Referral-to-consultation wait is separate. Provincial quarterly aggregate, not a national estimate. Open-data dataset is a historical snapshot; newer clinical website results may differ.

What waiting time has been reported? (Nova Scotia; p90; 2025-04-01/2025-06-30; ca-ns)

445 days — 90% of patients who were treated waited this long or less. Source period: 2025-04-01/2025-06-30. Captured: 2026-10-14. n=1. Source: https://data.novascotia.ca/api/views/wu5w-qxki/rows.csv?accessType=DOWNLOAD. Patient Access Registry Nova Scotia historical completed surgery waits in days; primary replacements and first cataract surgery. Referral-to-consultation wait is separate. Provincial quarterly aggregate, not a national estimate. Open-data dataset is a historical snapshot; newer clinical website results may differ.

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