The economic evolution of American health care
Subtitle: from Marcus Welby to managed care
By: David Dranove.
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Published: 2000
Place of publication: Princeton, N.J
Language: eng
Number of pages: 211
Subjects: Managed care plans (Medical care) -- Economic aspects -- United States; Medical economics -- United States; Public health -- Economic aspects -- United States
Description: "The book covers everything from start-up troubles with the first managed care organizations to attempts at government regulation to the mergers and quality control issues facing MCOs today. It also reflects on how difficult it is for patients to shop for medical care. Up until the 1970s, patients looked to autonomous physicians for recommendations on procedures and hospitals - a process that relied more on the patient's trust of the physician than on facts, and resulted in skyrocketing medical costs.

Newly emerging MCOs have tried to solve the shopping problem by tracking the performance of care providers while obtaining discounts for their clients.".

"Many observers accuse MCOs of caring more about cost than quality, and argue for government regulation. Dranove, however, believes that market forces can eventually achieve quality care and cost control. But first, MCOs must improve their ways of measuring provider performance, medical records must be made more complete and accessible (a task that need not compromise patient confidentiality), and patients must be willing to seek and act on information about the best care available.

Dranove argues that patients can regain confidence in the medical system, and even come to trust MCOs, but they will need to rely on both their individual doctors and their own consumer awareness."--BOOK JACKET.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. [193]-202) and index.