HMO Brand of Medicine

The aristocratic standing of the fee-for-service medical profession is being challenged by organizations that can provide quality medical attention for less money.

After many years of precipitous growth, health-care expenditures in the United States have ballooned well over 10% of gross national product. When the price of a product or service is raging out of control, free enterprise comes to the rescue. The developing consensus is that well-run health maintenance organizations will be the future of health care in the United States because of perceived shortcomings of traditional methods of health delivery.

Obviously when you are dealing with something as precious as a person’s health, quality is paramount. However, it does not follow that the best health care is the most expensive health care.

FLOYD A. OLIVER

Los Angeles