Silver Book Fact
Between 1984 and 1998, the cost of treating heart attack patients rose $10,000. However, medical technology increased the life expectancy of heart attack patients by an average of 1 year-a value of $70,000 and a net benefit of $60,000.
Cutler D, McClellan M. Is Technological Change in Medicine Worth It?. Health Affairs. 2001; 20(5): 11-29. http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/20/5/11.full