Voluntary Effort attacks health care cost on all fronts

In answer to Rep. Daniel Rostenkowski's (D-IL) challenge to voluntarily reduce hospital costs, the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association, and the Federation of American Hospitals joined forces in the two-year "Voluntary Effort." A detailed 15-point plan was adopted, touching on everything from patient demand to hospital suppliers, and it is hoped that the rate of increase in hospital expenditures will be lowered by two percentage points in 1978 and by two more in 1979.