What is the future of prepaid medical practice?

Prepaid medical practice, bolstered in its growth over the past eight years by government legislative and financial support, is currently at a unique crossroad. Confronted with a reduction in federal support as a result of the 1981 amendments to the HMO Act, and faced with an undefined investment commitment from the private sector, HMO expansion and future growth rates are subject to some uncertainty. An assessment of the future of HMOs must take into account not only the immediate past, but also how present, evolving marketplace factors will shape trends in the years ahead.