GAO: Doctors’ ’self-referrals’ cost Medicare more than $100M

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) said, patients are at risk and Medicare is wasting money because of doctors who refer patients to facilities they own. GAO found a steep rise in the number of self-referrals—doctors ordering tests at facilities where they or their family members have a financial stake. Critics argue that self-referral leads to wasteful spending because doctors will order unnecessary tests just to collect a payment from Medicare.