Explosive growth of facet joint interventions in the medicare population in the United States: a comparative evaluation of 1997, 2002, and 2006 data

Table 1 Characteristics of Medicare beneficiaries and facet joint interventions.

						% of increase from
			1997	2002	2006	2002-2006	1997-2006
US Population (,000)			267,784	288,369	299,395	3.8%	11.8%
> = 65 years (,000)			34,933	35,602	37,125	4.3%	6.3%
Medicare Beneficiaries (,000)			38,465	40,503	43,339	7.0%	12.7%
Age		≥ 65 years	33,636	34,698	36,317	4.7%	8.0%
		< 65 years	4,829	5,805	7,022	21.0%	45.4%
Gender		Male	40.70%	43.85%	44.16%	0.7%	8.5%
		Female	59.30%	56.15%	55.84%	-0.6%	-5.8%
Facet joint intervention patients and visits
Number of Medicare patients receiving facet joint interventions			46,640	119,160	254,720	114%	446%
Patients per 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries			121	294	588	100%	386%
Number of visits			88,280	225,280	543,900	141%	516%
Visits per 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries			230	556	1,255	126%	446%
Services			233,200	607,760	1,688,180	178%	624%
Interventions per 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries			606	1,501	3,895	160%	543%
Average visits per patient			1.9	1.9	2.1	0	0.2%
Facet joint interventions by age
Patients	< 65 years	Number of patients	9,800	27,060	65,420	142%	568%
		Rate (per 100,000)	25	67	151	125%	504%
	≥ 65 years	Number of patients	36,840	92,100	189,300	106%	414%
		Rate (per 100,000)	96	227	437	93%	355%
Visits	< 65 years	Number of visits	19,840	54,960	154,760	182%	680%
		Rate (per 100,000)	52	136	357	163%	587%
	≥ 65 years	Number of visits	68,440	170,320	389,140	128%	469%
		Rate (per 100,000)	178	421	898	113%	404%
Services	< 65 years	Number of services	56,040	148,720	495,480	233%	784%
		Rate (per 100,000)	146	367	1,143	211%	683%
	≥ 65 years	Number of services	177,160	459,040	1,192,700	160%	573%
		Rate (per 100,000)	461	1,131	2,752	143%	498%

ISSN: 1472-6963