HCFO Study on Geographic Variation of Medicare Costs Highlighted in Reuters Article

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Findings from a study led by Jack Hadley, Ph.D., professor at George Mason University, were highlighted in the May 13, 2010, Reuters article, “Don’t Like Your Diagnosis? Maybe You Should Move.” The article discusses geographic variation in Medicare spending. Dr. Hadley and colleagues examined factors contributing to geographic variations in Medicare spending and whether increased spending results in improved outcomes at the individual level. Stephen Zuckerman, Ph.D., senior fellow at the Urban Institute and a member of the research team, stated, “Our study shows that an individual’s health explains almost one-third of the difference in Medicare spending per beneficiary between the highest- and lowest-cost areas.”