“Come back in a few months for a follow-up to take another look.” By the time they’re done ringing the cash register, Medicare has spent approximately $10,000 per person, a cost that’s passed along to every other American. Private insurance will pay up to triple that amount for the same procedure. It may be a scam, but it’s perfectly legal. The doctor carefully documents that the patient has a diagnosis of “claudication” to ensure that everything will be covered by insurance.
