Reposted here from Wall Street Journal, December 2010. It's worth a second look because the whole idea behind the story is so outrageous, i.e. financial gain is driving overtreatment (with new forms of radiation) of prostate cancer patients ... and it's so easy because Medicare is paying the tab.
A Device to Kill Cancer, Lift Revenue
By John Carreyrou and Maurice Tamman
"Roughly one in three Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with prostate cancer today gets a sophisticated form of radiation therapy called IMRT. Eight years ago, virtually no patients received the treatment.
"The story behind the sharp rise in the use of IMRT—which stands for intensity-modulated radiation therapy—is about more than just the rapid adoption of a new medical technology. It's also about financial incentives...."
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