Ethical considerations of managed care.

ABSTRACT

Universal health care will soon be here. This paper presents the basic models of managed care as well as a glossary of terms to allow discussion of the basic plans. Three cases are discussed to illustrate the dilemmas of managed care utilizing Dr. Fletcher's ethical model. Basic concepts are derived from these cases to assist physicians to work within the constraints of the new health care systems and enable them to respond to the sometimes unavoidable conflicts between medical benefit and cost containment.