"Guardians of the patient's pocketbook".
Underway in Virginia is a cost-conscious program designed by Blue Shield to discourage the use of inhospital procedures deemed by national specialty societies to be relatively ineffective or outmoded. The author describes the program and its early influence.
D054598:Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance Plans / Q000191:economics*; D003363:Cost Control; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003933:Diagnosis / Q000191:economics; D006296:Health Services / Q000191:economics; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007357:Insurance, Physician Services / Q000191:economics*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000191:economics; D014768:Virginia