PacifiCare’s New HMO Limits Pediatric Care

I was surprised to learn that PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. has offered a new HMO program with a major catastrophic void noted [“PacifiCare’s New HMO to Limit Choice,” Oct. 4]. The gist of the program, as reported, is to reduce cost to employers as well as the insured by offering a trimmed-down number of physicians and authorized hospitals.

The three hospitals that were dropped from PacifiCare’s list were Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and UCLA.

Probably more than 80% of the specialized critical pediatric care in this county is handled by these centers and the only other nongovernmental hospitals in this county that have pediatric intensive-care units are in Pasadena and Long Beach.

The largest obstetrical unit in the area is at Cedars-Sinai, which is known for its care of the high-risk pregnancy patient. It is a shame that an insurer is willing to jeopardize the health of a child by offering such an inadequate package and that the larger employers were willing to take an interest in it.

Eugene G. Flaum, MD

Los Angeles