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Figure 3.1 Number of U.S. emergency room visits 22 4.1 Percentage increase in cost of health insurance premiums, 1988–2006 32 7.1 Components of U.S. gross domestic product, 2006 65 8.1 Relationship between quality and Medicare spending as expressed by overall quality ranking, 2000–2001 75 9.1 Typical handwritten patient progress note 91 9.2 Typical physician’s order sheet 93 1 1.1 Cross-sections of spine 1 12 1 1.2 Surgical spine procedures on the low back 1 13 1 1.3 Spinal surgery as a percentage of U.S. hospital charges 1 16 1 1.4 Number of U.S. hospital admissions with coronary catheter procedures 1 18 12.1 Annual changes in Medicare spending per beneficiary with federal actions 122 12.2 Annual changes in private per-capita national health spending with federal actions 123 16.1 Hospital payment-to-cost ratios for private payers, Medicare, and Medicaid 190 Table 12.1 Generalists’ Income and Annual Workload 128 12.2 Specialists’ Income and Annual Workload 128 FIGURES AND TABLES ix Prelims.qxd 10/10/08 3:27 PM Page ix Prelims.qxd 10/10/08 3:27 PM Page x ...

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