Health care competition in the 1980s: its potential impact

The health care industry will face continuing pressure from government and the private sector to contain costs. This paper provides an overview of health care costs, financing changes and cost inflation in the health care sector. The potential impact of competition oriented insurance plans, activities of business health care costs containment coalitions, and preferred provider organizations are reviewed. Regulatory trends and the effects of hospital reimbursement reforms on diagnostic radiographic and imaging services are discussed.