
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, December 8, 1993                   TAG: 9501200130
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: EDGAR N. WEAVER JR.
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

RESTRUCTURE MEDICAL-FEE SYSTEM FOR COST CONTAINMENT

In your Nov. 23 editorial "Behind the rise and health costs," you concluded: "...cost containment must remain a priority for health-care reform." I certainly agree and would suggest that cost containment must be the first priority in health-care reform. Expansion of care (Mrs. Clinton's first priority) without adequate cost containment would only compound our present problem and increase the oft-quoted ratio of health-care costs to gross national product.

Attempts at cost containment to date, and in the various proposed plans (including Clinton's plan), are efforts in applying external controls to these costs. All of these plans, in application, will generate hugh additional administrative expenses - monies that will not directly serve the sick and injured. Furthermore, external cost controls will have an unavoidable negative impate on the quality of medical care.

\ Please see microfilm for complete text.

by CNB