For a serious medical condition, surgery is often lifesaving, but a new report finds that doctors performed tens of thousands of unnecessary procedures in 2020. Consumer Reports has important advice on how to have an open and frank discussion with your doctor to be sure you’re getting the care you really need.

During the first 10 months of the COVID19 pandemic, even when most cities were on lockdown, Medicare was billed for over 100,000 overused or unnecessary surgeries or procedures, according to the nonprofit Lown Institute.

That includes more than 45,000 stents for coronary heart disease, 16,000 vertebroplasties for osteoporosis, and 14,000 hysterectomies for benign disease.

In some instances, these are lifesaving procedures. However, in a number of cases, a patient’s condition could also be well managed with a less invasive treatment that was just as effective.
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