The corporate human resource personnel who make business decisions about health benefits are frequently women. Finally, women make the bulk of health care decisions for their families, including children and elderly relatives. It is estimated that women spend two out of every three medical dollars and decide how households spend three of every four dollars on health care 1 . As just about everyone knows, America's health care delivery system has undergone a massive transformation in recent years. Already, more than 149 million Americans are in managed care plans.
Women are the majority of managed care users.
Managed care has great potential. Its promise is to save money and provide more effective care through better coordination of services and a strong emphasis on preventive and primary care. Managed care plans are also uniquely positioned to educate millions of women and men about how to get and stay healthy. Women, especially, stand to benefit from managed care done right. In addition, a good relationship with a well-trained primary care provider can give women a chance to get answers to health questions that might otherwise go unasked.