Musculoskeletal (MSK) Centers of Excellence (COE)

Page last updated on: 3/16/25

Stay confident in your care with access to the highest quality providers for certain Musculoskeletal (MSK) surgeries

Supporting you through your MSK surgery journey

As of 1/1/2025, Priority Health will offer an innovative program to provide a curated set of providers and facilities that will help guide you towards the highest quality facilities for musculoskeletal (MSK) surgeries within the Priority Health network. This initiative aims to improve your experience by reducing costs while maintaining the highest surgical standards.

Professional and facilities fees for COE eligible surgeries are $0 (PriorityHSA plan deductibles apply) and you may also be eligible for travel expense reimbursement up to $1,000 if you live 50 miles or more from the Center of Excellence (prior authorization required). Your anesthesia costs will be subject to deductible and plan co-insurance.

How does it work?

  1. To be eligible your plan must include the Muskuloskeletal Centers of Excellence rider.
  2. If you are eligible to participate, Priority Health may contact you if we believe you can benefit from the program.
  3. Once you are eligible, you sign into your member portal to use our Find-A-Doc tool to identify a Centers of Excellence (COE) location.
  4. Once you find the COE that works best for you, you can schedule your surgery.

Participating orthopedic groups:

  • Corewell Health Orthopedics
  • Great Lakes Orthopaedic Center
  • Michigan Orthopaedic Surgeons
  • Munson Healthcare Orthopedic Institute
  • Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan
  • Orthopaedic Associates of Muskegon
  • Shoreline Orthopaedics

Eligible surgeries:

  • Total hip replacement
  • Total knee replacement
  • Lumbar Fusion
  • Lumbar Laminectomy
  • Cervical Fusion
  • Cervical Laminectomy

Travel Benefit

If you are eligible, this benefit covers IRS eligible travel expenses up to $1,000 for Covered Services provided by a Priority Health Centers of Excellence Provider when you travel more than 50 miles from your home.

  • Prior authorization is required1
  • Reimbursement is limited to reasonable expense for transportation, meals, and lodging
  • Amounts reimbursed for travel expenses do not apply to Non-HDHP2 Member’s Deductible or Out-of-Pocket Limit
  • Please save your receipts for expense itemization and reimbursement

IRS Eligible Expenses3

  • Mileage
  • Gas receipts, air fare, taxi, ride share, etc.
  • Lodging up to $50 per person per day

What you need to do

Submit travel expenses via the member reimbursement form found here or by logging into your member account  or in the Priority Health app. Under the Costs & Spending menu, click Claims & EOBs. Then click Claim reimbursement form.

Reimbursement

Travel expenses will be reimbursed directly to you, if approved, within 2-3 weeks.
Learn more about travel reimbursement here.

Questions?

For questions about the MSK COE program, please call the number on the back of your ID card.

1Travel benefit is only available to eligible members

2Eligible travel expense reimbursements will track towards the PriorityHSA deductible, pursuant to IRS rules governing Health Savings Plans

3Alcohol and tobacco expenses are excluded from coverage