Defensive Medicine Carries a Hefty Price Tag
According to recent reports, defensive medicine contributes an estimated $50 billion in additional costs to the U.S. health care system – the most expensive health care system in the world.
In the current climate of fear, defensive medicine is becoming the norm, rather than the exception. The fear of a lawsuit drives physicians to order excessive tests, images and studies because they know they cannot personally afford to miss any diagnosis, regardless of how rare.