The Morality of Managed Care Essay -- Health Care Medical Medicine Ess

The Morality of Managed Care "The preservation of health is a duty" according to Herbert Spencer, an English philosopher (Andrews, 1993). Managed care conglomerates provide health coverage for increasing numbers of Americans. Many critics question whether these businesses provide care dutifully. At the very least, the present managed care system requires health care providers and recipients to reexamine established principles underling physician-patient interaction. Although health maintenance organizations are commonly misunderstood, Americans hope these institutions will dampen runaway health care expenditures. Since HMO's are increasing in number, health care recipients need to examine how established, ethical principles in America are changing. These subtle alterations create conflicts between physicians, HMO's, and patients. Ultimately, patients are regarded as consumers, and understandably, quality care may be more difficult to obtain. Definition Of Managed Care Although numerous health care plans presently exist, managed care plans have dominated the marketplace since the early 1980's. Preferred provider organizations (PPO's) and health maintenance organizations (HMO's) are the most common, and they continue to grow in number. Since managed care has become commonplace, the differences between PPO's, HMO's and fee-for-service reimbursement arrangements must be critically evaluated. Without understanding their general organizational and payment structures, moral judgments pertaining to varying plans cannot be ascertained easily. PPO's contract with a limited number of physicians and hospitals who agree to care for patients on a discounted fee for service basis. On the other hand, HMO's amass insurers and providers... ...ew York Times, July 15, 1996, pp. A13. Kassirer, Jerome P. "Managed Care and the Morality of the Marketplace" The New England Journal of Medicine, July 6, 1995, pp. 50-52. King, Cheryl S. "Managed Care: Is It Moral." Advanced Practical Nursing, 1995, pp. 7-11. Larson, Erik. "The Soul of an HMO." Time, January 22, 1996, pp. 44-52. Light, Donald W. "The Practice and Ethics of Risk-rated Health Insurance." The Journal of the American Medical Association, 1992, pp. 2503-2508. Peliegrino, Edmund D. "Ethics." The Journal of the American Medical Association, June 1, 1994, pp. 1668-1670. Relman, Arnold S. "What Market Values Are Doing to Medicine." The Atlantic Monthly, March 1992, pp. 99-106. Shenkin, Budd N. "The Independent Practice Association in Theory and Practice." The Journal of the American Medical Association, June 28, 1995, pp. 1937-1942. The Morality of Managed Care Essay -- Health Care Medical Medicine Ess The Morality of Managed Care "The preservation of health is a duty" according to Herbert Spencer, an English philosopher (Andrews, 1993). Managed care conglomerates provide health coverage for increasing numbers of Americans. Many critics question whether these businesses provide care dutifully. At the very least, the present managed care system requires health care providers and recipients to reexamine established principles underling physician-patient interaction. Although health maintenance organizations are commonly misunderstood, Americans hope these institutions will dampen runaway health care expenditures. Since HMO's are increasing in number, health care recipients need to examine how established, ethical principles in America are changing. These subtle alterations create conflicts between physicians, HMO's, and patients. Ultimately, patients are regarded as consumers, and understandably, quality care may be more difficult to obtain. Definition Of Managed Care Although numerous health care plans presently exist, managed care plans have dominated the marketplace since the early 1980's. Preferred provider organizations (PPO's) and health maintenance organizations (HMO's) are the most common, and they continue to grow in number. Since managed care has become commonplace, the differences between PPO's, HMO's and fee-for-service reimbursement arrangements must be critically evaluated. Without understanding their general organizational and payment structures, moral judgments pertaining to varying plans cannot be ascertained easily. PPO's contract with a limited number of physicians and hospitals who agree to care for patients on a discounted fee for service basis. On the other hand, HMO's amass insurers and providers... ...ew York Times, July 15, 1996, pp. A13. Kassirer, Jerome P. "Managed Care and the Morality of the Marketplace" The New England Journal of Medicine, July 6, 1995, pp. 50-52. King, Cheryl S. "Managed Care: Is It Moral." Advanced Practical Nursing, 1995, pp. 7-11. Larson, Erik. "The Soul of an HMO." Time, January 22, 1996, pp. 44-52. Light, Donald W. "The Practice and Ethics of Risk-rated Health Insurance." The Journal of the American Medical Association, 1992, pp. 2503-2508. Peliegrino, Edmund D. "Ethics." The Journal of the American Medical Association, June 1, 1994, pp. 1668-1670. Relman, Arnold S. "What Market Values Are Doing to Medicine." The Atlantic Monthly, March 1992, pp. 99-106. Shenkin, Budd N. "The Independent Practice Association in Theory and Practice." The Journal of the American Medical Association, June 28, 1995, pp. 1937-1942.