Are Doctors pushing up the cost of health care & Medicare?

The New Yorker magazine recently included an article by Dr. Atul Gawande about the roller coaster cost of Medicare in different areas
of the United States. Mc Allen Texas hit the height of the loop.
This Texas town is where Medicare spends more per beneficiary than
any other city in the US, with the exception of Miami.

In unraveling Mc Allen's stratospheric cost compared to say the
Mayo Clinic, which was much less expensive, it appears that the
difference reflects doctors ordering extra tests, more surgeries
and additional procedures to increase their income.

The New Yorker article looks at seminal studies by researchers at
Dartmouth investigating why there are regional and institutional
variations in the cost of Medicare. After adjusting for differences
like medical cost, health and income, the Dartmouth study came to
the conclusion that regional differences came down to a spike in
tests ordered by doctors and more time spent by patients in
intensive hospital based care than less expensive medical centers.

The loud boom of the Dartmouth study says that 30% of Medicare
expenditures are wasted on needless care.

Another interesting fact about physicians is that 30 years ago the
AMA opposed Medicare. Could it be that as a nation we should follow
that old line and pay attention to history. If we don't see the
physicians widening the crack in out health care system - are we
doomed to repeat history again.

Maybe checking out what your town pays per Medicare beneficiary,
would be a good idea. You also might question why each test has been
ordered on yourself or family member. You could ask the doctor
why hospitalization is necessary and would there be a lower level of
treatment. Getting a second opinion might be a good idea as
well.

American physicians, it seem, have been part of problem in the
soaring costs of health care. It is time that they create some of
the solution.