Self-Funded With Spencer 21% Of Medical Care Is Unnecessary. Here’s How We Prevent It.
Dec 16, 2025
Will Bruhn, CEO and co-founder of Global Appropriateness Measures, sheds light on a shocking statistic: 21% of medical care is unnecessary. He discusses how traditional quality metrics focus too much on outcomes rather than appropriateness, leading to wasteful practices in healthcare. Real-world examples, like unnecessary spinal fusions and the surge in Friday afternoon C-sections, reveal financial incentives at play. Will also outlines how data can steer patients towards high-value care, ultimately aiming to eliminate this wasteful spending.
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Healthcare Lacks A Star Score
- Healthcare lacks transparent quality ratings and clear pricing, so patients shop blindly for providers.
- Will Bruhn argues that adding a quality "star score" and pricing data would make healthcare choices rational.
Ultrasound Cut In Half For Reimbursement
- Will recounts ordering a bilateral ultrasound that the radiology team only performed one side of due to payment rules.
- The radiologist admitted they only do one side per day because they only get paid for half the body per day.
Measuring Appropriateness Changes Behavior
- GAM created measures to detect low-value care at the individual provider level using claims data.
- Their Mohs surgery pilot showed 83% of outlier doctors changed behavior and saved Medicare $92M over three years.