1 0 ▁billion ) ▁in ▁unnecessary ▁services , ▁without ▁explaining ▁the ▁dis cre p ancy . ▁This ▁I OM ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁report ▁also ▁said ▁there ▁were ▁$ 5 5 5 ▁billion ▁in ▁other ▁was ted ▁sp ending , ▁which ▁have ▁an ▁" unknown ▁overlap " ▁with ▁each ▁other ▁and ▁the ▁$ 2 1 0 ▁billion . ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁National ▁Academy ▁of ▁Sciences ▁estimated ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁without ▁giving ▁its ▁methods ▁or ▁sources , ▁that ▁" between ▁$. 3 0 ▁and ▁$. 4 0 ▁of ▁every ▁doll ar ▁spent ▁on ▁health ▁care ▁is ▁spent ▁on ▁the ▁costs ▁of ▁poor ▁quality ," ▁amount ing ▁to " ▁slightly ▁more ▁than ▁a ▁half - tr ill ion ▁dollars ▁a ▁year ... ▁was ted ▁on ▁over use , ▁under use , ▁mis use , ▁dup lication , ▁system ▁fail ures , ▁unnecessary ▁repet ition , ▁poor ▁communication , ▁and ▁in e ffic iency . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁Fish er ▁et ▁al . ▁ ▁found ▁that ▁there ▁was ▁" no ▁apparent ▁regional ▁health ▁benefit ▁for ▁Medic are ▁recip ients ▁from ▁doing ▁more , ▁whether ▁' more ' ▁is ▁expressed ▁as ▁hospital izations , ▁surg ical ▁procedures , ▁or ▁consult ations ▁within ▁the ▁hospital ." ▁Up ▁to ▁ 3 0 % ▁of ▁Medic are ▁sp ending ▁could ▁be ▁cut ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁without ▁harm ing ▁patients . ▁ ▁When ▁care ▁is ▁over used , ▁patients ▁are ▁put ▁at ▁risk ▁of ▁comp lications ▁unnecess arily , ▁with