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Healing Medicare Hospital Recidivism: Causes And Cures, Ann Marie Marciarille

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The role of Medicare in our national market for acute care hospital services is that of a power buyer. Medicare beneficiaries in 2008 included some 45.2 million people. Total benefits paid in 2008 were $462 billion, including 29% of all hospital spending.2 Medicare’s dominance in the buyer’s market for acute care hospital beds renders the program particularly well-suited to scrutinize the role of acute care hospital services in producing effective and efficient outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries. "[I]f there are to be far-reaching changes in the way medicine is practiced in this country, Medicare will have to drive them." It is …