Rationing the public's health and the optometric agenda.
BACKGROUND
Universal access to health care at an affordable price is a major issue on the current agenda of the nation's legislative, corporate and health care decision makers.


METHODS
The current literature and prevailing ideologies on health service rationing and health care reform were reviewed and evaluated in the context of optometric practice.


CONCLUSIONS
The socio-political nature of the decision making process may lead to recommendations for reforms and market interventions that contravene the agenda of health care providers. To maintain quality of care and contain costs, and as a basis for allocation, judgments must be made about the value of specific services. Some services may be rationed according to the ratio of benefit to cost and their perceived net value to society. If rationing prevails, optometric services will be included in the process of prioritization and allocation.
Marshall
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Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Optometry Indiana University, Bloomington 47405.
D004465:Economic Competition; D015276:Health Care Rationing; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D009907:Optometry; D011634:Public Health; D011787:Quality of Health Care