Yes, principal-agent problems in healthcare are pervasive. But while medical upcoding fleeces patients, providers often feel it victimless because the procedur

Yes, principal-agent problems in healthcare are pervasive. But while medical upcoding fleeces patients, providers often feel it victimless because the procedures are almost always diagnostic and confused providers believe them to be paid by some third party (insurance, the state, but surely not the patient). Dentists, in contrast, don't just upcode diagnostics, they systematically over treat their patients.