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No evidence supports that geography is a major driver of health care costs

Posted April 9, 2012

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In the ongoing debate about escalating medical expenditures, government and medical society reports have mentioned differences in the use of health care services by location as a possible culprit. Available studies do not support this theory, according to a systematic review published in the March Medical Care.

Researchers with the University of California, San Francisco reviewed the scientific literature from 1978 to 2009 and found five studies addressing the question. The papers found similar rates of over- and under-use of coronary angiography, endoscopy and carotid endarterectomy in high- and low-cost areas of the country (link).The authors suggest that more research is needed to understand the link between quality and geographic differences in medical expenditures.

Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/04/09/bibf0409.htm.

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