Premium
The Managed Care Backlash: Perceptions and Rhetoric in Health Care Policy and the Potential for Health Care Reform
Author(s) -
Mechanic David
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
the milbank quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.563
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1468-0009
pISSN - 0887-378X
DOI - 10.1111/1468-0009.00195
Subject(s) - backlash , rationing , rhetoric , managed care , health care , business , public relations , perception , quality (philosophy) , health care reform , political science , health policy , psychology , law , linguistics , philosophy , epistemology , artificial intelligence , computer science , neuroscience
The focus on managed care and the managed care backlash divert attention from more important national health issues, such as insurance coverage and quality of care. The ongoing public debate often does not accurately convey the key issues or the relevant evidence. Important perceptions of reduced encounter time with physicians, limitations on physicians' ability to communicate options to patients, and blocked access to inpatient care, among others, are either incorrect or exaggerated. The public backlash reflects a lack of trust resulting from cost constraints, explicit rationing, and media coverage. Inevitable errors are now readily attributed to managed care practices and organizations. Some procedural consumer protections may help restore the eroding trust and refocus public discussion on more central issues.