But experts agree that as long as the employment market remains tight, few employers will risk such radical overhauls. Instead, some employers are making small changes in plan structure or copayments. Others are reducing coverage to retirees. So far, there is a lot of talk about defined contribution plans, but no action. So, HMO enrollments are down.
Capitation is down.
Physician reimbursement is down. Add to this picture an increasing number of bankruptcies, reduced access to capital and closures of hospitals and physician groups nationally and you have a healthcare delivery and financing system in distress and looking for new solutions. But you also have an industry that has been burned too many times by the promises that were never kept and by magic solutions that never materialized. Along comes the Internet to save the day. To view the entire journal, you must be a subscriber.