TREND-SETTERS: For many Americans, health care reform...

TREND-SETTERS: For many Americans, health care reform will mean joining cost-saving health maintenance organizations. But Orange County residents are far ahead of other Americans in accepting HMOs. Experts are unsure why, but suggest that Southern Californians have long been conditioned to managed care. Kaiser Permanente, the nation’s largest HMO, was founded in California, and Orange County is home to two major groups: PacifiCare Health Systems of Cypress and FHP International of Fountain Valley.

HEALTH CZAR: As the White House struggles with health care issues nationally, Orange County is starting to deal with its own concerns. . . . Mary Dewane, a Medicaid expert, recently was picked to head OPTIMA, the HMO-like program to provide health care for Orange County’s poor. Supervisor Harriett M. Wieder, who helped dream up OPTIMA, said the first hurdle is over, but expects more to come, including raising funds: “We’ll certainly achieve our goal of being operational by 1995.”

FAMILY PLAN: Laguna Hills dentist Bruce Glover is among a handful of dentists who recently signed on to a new dental plan designed by Santa Monica-based Dentnet Inc. Called the Modern Family plan, it acknowledges that an increasing number of families don’t fall under the traditional definitions and offers benefits to gay and lesbian domestic partners, other unmarried couples, in-laws--just about anyone who can prove they live under the same roof. “You just can’t predict what families are supposed to look like these days,” Glover said. “This really takes care of that issue.”

HMO Popularity

One in three Orange County residents is enrolled in a health maintenance organization, compared to one in five nationally. Percent of population who are HMO members: Orange County: 35% California: 33% United States: 17% Source: FHP Health Care