title: Consumer participation in Health Maintenance Organizations.
abstract: Recent health legislation, particularly the Health Maintenance Organization Act, appears to invite the participation of consumers in the governance of health care programs. This represents an opportunity for the community organizer to influence the role of the consumer in health care systems. This paper examines federal policy relating to consumer participation, discusses resulting issues and dilemmas, and offers suggestions for programs to strengthen consumer participation in HMOs.
mesh_terms: D003256:Community Participation / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations; D006281:Health Occupations; D011640:Public Policy; D012380:Role; D014481:United States