Despite long-standing medical advice against doing routine endoscopies for simple heartburn, new national data from Motive Medical Intelligence show that millions of Americans with uncomplicated gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) still get upper endoscopies. This is causing a lot of wasted healthcare money. According to the American College of Gastroenterology, GERD affects about one in five adults in the U.S., leading to over nine million outpatient visits each year and costing the healthcare system more than $24 billion annually—much of that tied to unnecessary procedures.

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Motive looked at over 100 million insurance claims from July 2022 to June 2024 and found that around 11 percent of GERD visits included an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), even though medical groups clearly say it’s not needed most of the time.

Dr. Richard Klasco, Chief Medical Officer at Motive Medical Intelligence, pointed out that this shows a continuing pattern of low-value care. He stressed that this is a big chance to make sure doctors follow the best guidelines, help patients better, and cut down on wasted healthcare spending.

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The data also show big differences in how doctors treat patients across different parts of the country. Doctors in New England followed the guidelines the most, while those in the West and Southeast were less consistent. States like Maine, New Hampshire, and Delaware had the lowest rates of unnecessary EGDs, while Wyoming, Iowa, and Alaska were among the highest.

Dr. Klasco explained that these differences aren’t just numbers—they show real gaps in how patients are treated, how much healthcare costs, and the overall value of care. This highlights the need for focused efforts to make sure all patients get the right, evidence-based treatment.

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