The Implications of Managed Care on the U.S. Healthcare System

Managed health care emerged in the early 19th century in response to the growing cost of medical services in the United States. It is an ever-evolving approach to combining the financing and delivery of health care that seeks to manage costs, increase access, and ensure or improve quality of care through a variety of methods, including provider network management, utilization management, and quality assurance.

Write a three to four (3-4) page paper in which you:

Describe the evolution of managed care and the forces that have driven its evolution.

Explain how managed care influences access to and utilization of healthcare services within the current healthcare system.

Evaluate the efficacy of managed care plans in containing healthcare costs.

Differentiate and compare at least three (3) models of managed care organizations.

Summarize at least one (1) managed care trend (i.e., evolving mixed models, managed Medicaid, managed Medicare) and appraise how this trend will affect managed care’s overall goal of managing costs, increasing access, and ensuring quality in the delivery of healthcare.

Use at least three (3) recent (i.e., last five [5] years), quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources.

Use at least three (3) recent (i.e., last five [5] years), quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

Evaluate the shifts in multi-provider healthcare systems and its impact on market segments.

Assess how changes in the economic and commercial environments have affected the health sector.

Use technology and information resources to research issues in Health Care Operations Management.

Write clearly and concisely about Health Care Operations Management using proper writing mechanics.