Costs: Waste in Health Care System

Hollis Catalog
Search for articles and book chapters on this topic. The link opens a sample search. Tip: use filters to refine your results or adjust the search terms as needed. Similar articles may appear in the right-hand column of each record. Example results include:

• Shrank, W. H., Rogstad, T. L., & Parekh, N. (2019). Waste in the U.S. health care system: Estimated costs and potential for savings. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 322(15), 1501–1509. doi.org/10.1001/jama.2019.13978

• Bentley, T. G. K., Effros, R. M., Palar, K., & Keeler, E. B. (2008). [Waste in the U.S. health care system: A conceptual framework. The Milbank Quarterly, 86(4), 629–659. doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0009.2008.00537.x

PubMed
Access studies on this topic from medical and health care management publications. The link directs you to the database homepage. Tip: on an article record page, click "Try Harvard Library" for full-text access or scroll down to view similar articles. Example results include:

• Figueroa, J. F., Wadhera, R. K., & Jha, A. K. (2020). Eliminating wasteful health care spending: Is the United States simply spinning its wheels? JAMA Cardiology, 5(1), 9–10. doi.org/10.1001/jamacardio.2019.4339

EBSCOhost
Search multiple health care databases simultaneously on this topic. Tip: click the database link next to "Searching" to select your preferred databases, or use the "Publications" tab under the search boxes to target specific journals (e.g., Health Affairs, JAMA). Recommended starting databases: Academic Search Premier, Business Source Complete, Health Business Elite, and Health Policy Reference Center. Sample articles include:

• Health Affairs. (2022, October 6). The Role of Administrative Waste in Excess U.S. Health Spending. Health Affairs Research Brief. doi.org/10.1377/hpb20220909.830296

Additional Resources from the Web

Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker
Explore articles and analysis on health care price transparency, affordability, prescription drugs, and spending. The site monitors U.S. health system performance through dashboards and indicators. Sample articles include:

• Wager, E., Cotter, L., Cox, C., Berk, S., Mancino, M., & Harris, J. (2025). Health Spending Issues to Watch This Year. Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker.

U.S. Employer Health Benefits Survey
Access KFF's annual reports tracking trends in employer-sponsored health coverage, costs, and related issues. The site archives surveys from 1999 to the present, including premiums, worker contributions, and employer strategies. A useful source for this topic.