Friday, March 05, 2004

Managed Care Steps Outside Its Traditional Role to Help Patients & Control Treatment Cost
An article from the November 2003 Open Minds newsletter that is now available at no charge at their web site - "The greatest challenge facing the health care industry today is escalating costs. PacifiCare Behavioral Health (PBH) takes an approach that runs contrary to many in the managed care industry. The company believes in ensuring its members receive both the right type and right amount of care from those clinicians who have demonstrated the best outcomes. This puts the focus on care – not costs. PBH calls this approach Best Care. Paradoxically, the result is lower treatment cost, which ultimately contributes to more manageable rates for the health care purchaser..."