THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, March 2, 1996 TAG: 9603020013
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 30 lines
Regarding ``Health care doesn't need managing; health compromise does'' (Another View, Feb. 20):
Granted there will not be one giant corporation running managed care in Hampton Roads; more likely there will be three or four. The decision to choose between them is as open as employers who contract with the managed-care organization will allow. Individual choices are then limited to the set provider panel serving the plan - though fewer choices since managed care.
Interestingly enough, limiting the patient's right to choose providers sparked outrage against proposed federal-health-care initiatives but seems acceptable under private initiatives.
Managed care is producing health-care-cost savings. But once providers reach their optimal efficiencies and cost escalation no longer runs rampant, consumers will be looking for the improved quality of health care that managed care promises. The important question will shift from ``Are we spending too much for health care?'' to ``How much healthier am I now?''
JEFFREY KARAKO
Norfolk, Feb. 27, 1996 by CNB