biostudies-literatureBrooks GANCI NIH HHS1793-800https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC4203442biostudies-literatureUnknown33(10)The root causes of regional variation in medical spending are poorly understood and vary by clinical condition. To identify drivers of regional spending variation for Medicare patients with advanced cancer, we used linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program (SEER)-Medicare data from the period 2004-10. We broke down Medicare spending into thirteen cancer-relevant service categories. We then calculated the contribution of each category to spending and regional spending variation. Acute hospital care was the largest component of spending and the chief driver of regional spending variation, accounting for 48 percent of spending and 67 percent of variation. In contrast, chemotherapy accounted for 16 percent of spending and 10 percent of variation. Hospice care constituted 5 perHealth affairs (Project Hope)Acute hospital care is the chief driver of regional spending variation in Medicare patients with advanced cancer.PMC4203442R25CA92203R21 CA185704L30 CA179613K05 CA169384R25 CA092203Brooks GASchrag DHassett MJLandon BELi LUno HfalseAcute hospital care is the chief driver of regional spending variation in Medicare patients with advanced cancer.The root causes of regional variation in medical spending are poorly understood and vary by clinical condition. To identify drivers of regional spending variation for Medicare patients with advanced cancer, we used linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program (SEER)-Medicare data from the period 2004-10. We broke down Medicare spending into thirteen cancer-relevant service categories. We then calculated the contribution of each category to spending and regional spending variation. Acute hospital care was the largest component of spending and the chief driver of regional spending variation, accounting for 48 percent of spending and 67 percent of variation. In contrast, chemotherapy accounted for 16 percent of spending and 10 percent of variation. Hospice care constituted 5 per2014-01-01T00:00:00Z2014 Oct2026-05-01T04:20:39.767Z2019-03-27T01:38:00ZS-EPMC42034422528842410.1377/hlthaff.2014.0280