Commentary: The Impact of Medicare Coverage Policies on Health Care Utilization.

The author reflects on the impact of medicare coverage policies on health care utilization in the U.S. The author states that there are significant limitations to enforcement of coverage policies in the U.S. He notes that coverage decisions vary when there is no consensus about whether a particular procedure is effective. Furthermore, a suggestion to medicare carriers to focus their efforts on the elimination of forms of care that are inappropriate is presented.