All Articles on Costs

• ‘Choosing Wisely’ initiative may be a tipping point for costs and ethics

  Health professionals and their leaders have a moral duty to ensure their patients’ safety, personally and through system improvement.
• Beyond gridlock and gloom

  Research on innovations has a compelling future
• 10 reasons why we can't ignore health care costs

  To improve health—and the quality of American life—we must stem the rising cost of care. Health care’s percentage of the U.S. gross domestic product has doubled since 1980. At this rate, by 2040, health care will consume one of every three dollars.
• Physicians and the ethical dilemma of federal cuts to health care

  In less than three weeks, we’ll know whether Congress’ 12-member bipartisan “Super Committee” has succeeded. If it can’t find $1.2 trillion in federal deficit reductions over the next decade, we face reductions of the same magnitude as across-the-board cuts.
• Obesity and depression independently increase health costs

  Obesity and depression both dramatically increase health care costs, but they mainly act separately, according to a study published in the November 2011 Journal of General Internal Medicine by Group Health Research Institute scientists.
• If less is more, which health care should be cut?

  In a national survey of primary care physicians that the Archives of Internal Medicine published last month, nearly half agreed: Their own patients are getting too much care.
• Of mystery shoppers, country doctors, and a meeting with Bill Clinton

  Last month, the federal government disclosed—then quickly abandoned—a plan to unleash “mystery shoppers” on 4,000 primary care practices across the United States. The goal? To see just how many providers refuse to take new Medicare and Medicaid patients.