I’m not an MD, and not directly affected by this, but I’ll offer an anecdote regarding spinal surgery. Buddy Tipton, who is a damn good orthopedic and spinal doctor, told me twenty plus years ago that he would strongly prefer not to operate on my spine and discs. He said clinical outcomes for the first five years favored surgery, but after that alternative methods including physical therapy and cortisone shots outperformed surgery in otherwise healthy patients.
I finally did the surgery, twice, once neurological issues started to manifest in the sciatic nerves. But the point is he was not pushing surgery, he was providing the best possible information using his knowledge and the available clinical data.
I have always believed that’s the kind of medical system we want. Cost aside, I think it’s what we have. It should be up to the doctor and patient (and family). I see a lot of other interests trying to get involved here.