A recent Modern Healthcare article http://www.modernhealthcare.com * noted “overuse for more than two dozen cancer screening, imaging, diagnostic, preventive or preoperative testing services and found it totaled 0.6% of Medicare spending.”
“The results underscore the potential for savings from efforts to eliminate medical care that has been identified by previous research as unnecessary, and wasteful, such as colorectal screening among those age 85 and older with no history of colon cancer.”
“Such savings have been the target of quality campaigns, such as the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation’s Choosing Wisely push, which highlights potentially unnecessary services identified by multiple medical groups. But that effort also has drawn criticism for failure to include more costly services that may diminish physician revenue.”
“The latest findings account for a fraction of potential overuse, and the study’s 26 measures are an initial step toward more direct metrics that can be widely used by policymakers, health insurers and others….”
It is a good idea to ask your primary care physician why a test or procedure is being considered. Is it evidenced-based?
* to read the full MHC article “Wasteful services cost Medicare up to $8.5 billion, study estimates” by Melanie Evans, highlight and click on open hyperlink http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20140512/BLOG/305129999/wasteful-services-cost-medicare-up-to-8-5-billion-study-estimates&utm_source=AltURL&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=am?AllowView=VXQ0UnpwZTVEL1djL1JIQUMrWHRlRU9zams0ZEErOVU=&utm_campaign=am&mh
Note: This blog shares general information about understanding and navigating the health care system. For specific medical advice about your own problems, issues and options talk to your personal physician.