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Reports that a group of large employers, called Rx Collaborative, has united to monitor the business practices of the middlemen drug buyers that most employer use to get discounts from pharmaceutical companies in the United States. Effort by employers to cope with drug costs; Pharmacy benefit managers as important players in the managed care arena; Issue of price transparency.

Examines the cost of health care in the United States. Efforts by insurance companies to reduce overhead costs with the help of technology; Government subsidies to managed care companies that offer health maintenance organizations and preferred-provider networks for elderly Medicare beneficiaries; Opportunity provided by savings accounts to slow the excessive use of some forms of care.

Focuses on the prediction of some analysts that the notable prosperity of managed care plans may decline due to Medicare drug coverage in the U.S.

Reports on the acquisition of Definity Health by the largest health insurance company, UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UHGI) in the U.S. Impact of the buy-out for the business of the UHGI; Growth of the company's reported earnings; Reason for the investment of the manage care firm into new fields.

Cites the result of a survey pertaining to the prices of health maintenance organizations/managed care plans in the U.S. Increase in health care costs and health plan profits compared to the pace of consumer inflation; Average increase that employers are seeking from health maintenance organizations.

Reports on attempts by H.M.O. companies to sign up elderly members. Surge in managed care prompted by the Bush administration's plan to pump $46 billion into these programs over the next 10 years; Question as to whether Medicare managed care demonstrates savings over traditional Medicare; Concerns of the elderly, including allotting dollars from tight budgets and whether to believe that the health plans will not abandon them as they did a few years ago.

Discusses how the number of Americans without health insurance is growing, but the extent of the problem varies widely, state by state. View of some policy makers and health care experts that the best way to give health coverage is to give some people less; Ways that basic coverage packages are being tested in several states, including Utah, Oregon and Idaho; Call on consumers and employers to share the burden of extending coverage, rather than relying on the government; Effort to seek a uniform minimum level for health insurance.

Reports on the victory of lawyers for doctors in a lawsuit against managed-care companies in the U.S. Approval of the doctors' right to seek damages under the federal antiracketeering law; List of the defendants; Rejection of the motions by the companies to dismiss the doctors' claims under the antiracketeering.

Reports that health policy experts are predicting that the most politically fragile feature of the Medicare legislation passed by the U.S. Congress -- its attempt to make the federal Medicare program compete with private managed-care plans -- is also the least likely to come to fruition on the seven-year schedule set in the bill. Claims by experts that similar plans have failed to find support among patients, doctors and hospitals; Claim that many people enrolled in Medicare fear they will end up with less generous benefits in a privately run program; Background on previous attempts at experimenting with competition among Medicare H.M.O.'s; Comments by health policy expert Robert D. Reischauer; Comments by other experts and members of the health care industry.

Reports that U.S. companies have increased employee co-payments for drugs in their health plans. Consideration of a government-subsidized drug benefit for 40 million people enrolled in Medicare; How health plans have eased restrictions on hospital care and visits to doctors; Requirement of certain health plans that written authorization is needed from a doctor before they will agree to pay anything for prescription alternatives to the allergy drug Claritin; Views from Kenneth Sperling, a health care expert with Hewitt Associates, a consulting firm.

Reports on the story of Dr. Linda Peeno, a former medical reviewer for Humana, who says that her life was transformed by the price of a sculpture by Alberto Giacometti. Finding that the sculpture was about the same price as a heart transplant; Price that the company paid for the sculpture; Trial in which Peeno was ordered to disclose how she learned of the price of the statue; Identification of the source as Clarence Jones, a Humana official and the brother of David A. Jones, the company's chairman; Peeno's criticism of managed care.

Reports that the health insurance industry has opposed the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court on managed health plans in the country.

Reports that Merck-Medco Managed Care, a drug plan administrator, was allegedly paid billions of dollars in rebates from drug makers seeking to promote sales of certain drugs. Details of deal involving the promotion of more expensive drugs from Merck & Company, rather than similar medicines that often cost less.

Focuses on the operations of for-profit managed care companies during a period in which United States President George W. Bush has proposed letting private insurers take over Medicare and Medicaid. Success of such companies as UnitedHealth Group and Wellpoint Health Networks; Reasons for their success, including the services they offer low-income patients; Criticism of these companies for denying more claims than most insurers and for their slow response to approval of expensive treatments.

Discusses Medicare reform that could include a prescription drug benefit. Insurance companies and large employers that are pleased with the proposal made by U.S. President George W. Bush; Managed care companies that offered health insurance coverage to those on Medicare; Proposal that could offer retirees that option of traditional Medicare of alternative insurance coverage that would be at the same cost to the U.S. government.

Reports on the class-action lawsuit filed by several physicians against a group of managed care companies about employee retirement income and health insurance issues.

Focuses on the pressure that is being placed on pharmacy benefit managers to more effectively control the rising costs of prescription drugs in the United States. Role of pharmacy benefit managers in administering drug plans and determining which drugs people take for different illnesses; Lawsuits filed by consumers and employers against several pharmacy benefit managers, based on allegations that the managers inflate drug costs for some customers; Comments of officials at Merck-Medco Managed Care.

Reports that some of the biggest United States insurers are introducing a health plan that would change the way employees are reimbursed for medical expenses. Warnings by experts that the plan may be more unfair than current plans to people who are sick; Insurers who are preparing to offer the plans; How the plans work; Comparison with other plans; Issue of prescription costs; Comments of specialists.

Discusses the managed care industry in the United States as of July 2, 2001. Changes made to managed care; Impact of a slowing U.S. economy on the costs of medical care; Efforts of managed care companies to change public perceptions about the industry.

Reports that a federal judge in Miami, Florida has partly dismissed the lawsuits that challenged the managed care practices of six health insurers.

Reports that United States health insurance company, Aetna Inc. said that it would drop two million of its 19 million customers in 2001. Efforts to raise premium charges and to make its troubled managed care business more profitable; Plans by Aetna to eliminate 5000 jobs; How most of the departing customers will be employees that drop Prudential Health Care Insurance rather than pay the higher premium prices.

Focuses on lawsuits filed against managed care companies, accused of misleading health plan members in a federal district court in Miami, Florida. Insurers that were accused; What the lawsuits contend; Number of lawsuits seeking class-action status that had been filed against insurers.

Reports on the ruling of the United States Supreme Court to a core practice of managed care insurers, the offering of financial incentives to physicians who limit costs by restricting care. Argument on Illinois health maintenance organization rejected by the court; Status of the stocks of managed care companies; Impact of the decision on class-action plaintiffs' lawyers.

Reports the agreement of Aetna U.S. Healthcare, the Cigna Corporation, WellPoint Health Systems, Oxford Health Plans, Foundation Health Systems and PacifiCare Health Systems to development of an online project called MedUnite. Expected cost savings from elimination of paperwork and other services; Technology companies consulted; Competition.

Discusses the growth of Aetna Inc. as a managed-care company in the United States. Power and goal to dominate the nation's health care system; Purchase of Prudential Insurance Company of America and NYLCare, part of New York Life Insurance Company; Number of contracts Aetna has with doctors; Views of chairman Richard J. Huber; Concerns that the company will be too big; Views of analyst Kenneth S. Abramowitz.

Reports Aetna Inc.'s agreement to buy Prudential Health Care from the Prudential Insurance Company of America. Price; Number of customers and health maintenance organizations that will be part of the largest United States managed-care company; Aetna's reputation as the most stringent of US managed-care companies; Doctors' reservations about the move; Discussions at a meeting of the American Medical Association.

Focuses on the increasing popularity in the United States of managed health care plans known as preferred provider organizations (PPO). Comparison of PPOs to the managed care provisions of health maintenance organizations (HMO) and point-of-service HMOs; Consumer demand for wide choice and health plan efforts to provide it; Risk that consumer demand and increasing rejection of HMOs will cause US health care costs to rise.

Reports a United States Securities and Exchange Commission review of the way Aetna Inc. accounted for its August 1999 purchase of the Prucare unit of the Prudential Insurance company of America. Other actions against US managed-care companies claiming misrepresentation about the role of costs in type of care provided; Decline in Aetna's share price; Possible impact on Aetna earnings.

Reports on the finances of managed health care plans and the Medicare program in the United States. Success in slowing growth in spending for doctors and hospitals; The financial burden of life-enhancing medical devices and procedures; Impact of technological advances on the cost of health care; Comments of health directors; Companies that have been heavily impacted by the costs, including Humana Inc. and Health Partners.

Focuses on United States health insurers' efforts to avoid negative reactions to managed care in Congress and the states. Elimination and revision of unpopular rules; Cost controls, including pressure on hospitals to limit patient stays; Fee negotiations and payment; Increased patient share of drug costs; Unpopular practices which have been changed.

Discusses implications of UnitedHealth Group's November 1999 statement that it would return decision-making power over patient care to physicians. Health care analysts' assessment of customer reaction; Other insurance companies that offer similar plans; UnitedHealth cost controls; Costs to employers and consumers; Physician responses.

Reports the United Health Group's November 7, 1999 agreement to return decision-making power over patient care to physicians. The managed care company's policy of admitting health plan members to a hospital; Cost controls; Timetable; Expected savings from the move; Implications of the move.

Presents information on the form of managed care known as capitation that gives health care providers more control, but also carries more financial risk. Popularity of the program in New York and other cities; Government-financed study finding patients less satisfied by the service of doctors using the plan; How the plan works; Doctors having more control over how health care money is spent; Emphasis on preventative care.

Reports that United Healthcare Corp. has agreed to buy Humana Inc. Purchase price; Shrinking number of competitors in the United States healthcare industry; Impact of the choices of healthcare consumers in South Florida, Chicago and the Midwest; Terms of the all-stock deal.

Reports that United States health insurers are seeking rate increases for 1999. Highest rate increases since the majority of US employees moved into managed care plans; Increased premiums for employers and employees or cuts in coverage; Criticism of managed care companies; Details of increases from Kaiser Permanente.

Looks at health risks involved when managed-care drug plans switch some patients from more expensive treatments to lower-priced alternatives. Examples of Zantac versus cimetidine (Tagamet), Vasotec versus captopril (Capoten), Claritin versus diphenhydramine (Benadryl), and Hytrin versus Cardura.

Reports that managed-care companies in the United States are starting, as of 1997, to cut some of the benefits that millions of elderly Americans on Medicare counted on when they signed up with health maintenance organizations (HMO). Popularity of the health plans because they fill many of the biggest gaps in Medicare including costs for prescription drugs; Cost of the plans largely paid by the government; Changes due to a cap set by Congress on 1998 payments to Medicare HMOs.

Looks at an announcement from Pacificare Health Systems that it faced unexpected losses in the fourth quarter. Discussion of managed health care companies that have been apologetic for other problems; The impact at other companies of trouble caused by problems with information systems.

Discusses the impact that California's decision to review its managed care health system is having on the debate over managed care across the country. Proposals for tighter regulation of managed care; The appointment of a joint commission to recommend improvements; Growing skepticism toward managed care; The story of Joyce Ramey, and its impact on managed care in California; What defenders of managed care say about changes; The response of consumer groups and doctors.

Relates the significance of the corporate sector's strategy towards managed health care, for the government's policy on Medicare. Plans to raise funds for health care; Details of the corporate strategy.

Argues against the proposal of promoting managed health care as a means to curb rising medical costs. Use of cost-shifting by managed health care organizations to make profits; Economics of cost-shifting; Reason for acceptance of managed-care deals by doctors and hospitals; Arguments of economists against the economics of managed health care; Doubts of Congressional Budget Office regarding cost-efficacy of managed health care in future.

Refers to an article on page A16 (Doctors are sparring with insurers over right to join health networks) concerning the battle being waged by doctors across the country, pressing for state and federal laws to make it harder for insurance companies and health maintenance organizations to exclude them from health-care networks.

Examines a backlash of criticism regarding managed care in the United States. The criticism by doctors, nurses and consumers, relating to health maintenance organizations' (HMO) cost-cutting practices; Complaints including how financial incentives lead to limitation of care; The legislative response.

Reports on consolidations in the managed-care industry, focusing on the acquisition of U.S. Healthcare by the Aetna Life and Casualty Co. The majority of the mergers being between health-maintenance organizations (HMO); Other types of combinations, such as ones between HMOs and insurance companies with traditional health care plans.

Relates that a feud between Leonard D. Schaeffer and Dr. Malik M. Hasan threatens a proposed merger between their California managed-health-care companies. Claim by Hasan, head of Health Systems International, that Schaeffer reneged on an agreement to let Hasan control the making of certain deals in the merged company; Schaeffer's company, Wellpoint Health Systems.

Declares that Congressional investigators who focus on competition in the drug industry have said that Merck & Company profited from the relationship with its managed care unit in ways that require close watch by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Merck's Medco drug distribution and managed-care unit; Warning by the FTC against using the managed-care companies to gain unfair market advantage.