August 2000

Volume 1 Issue 10

Office of Business Development and Managed Care Operations

What’s New… UIC Physician Group Discontinues Medicare Product Care Result from One Health Plan Medicare Select Insurance Products Update - Illinois Patient Bill of Rights Inside this Issue… What Happened to the Health Care Debate? HMO Woes MCO’s Pledge Reform

Welcome…… to the August edition of Managed Care News online – our first issue that’s actually “on line”! All of us are excited about the change and the potential it brings. Without the limitations imposed by an e-mail distribution format, we’ll be able to provide more in-depth coverage of important news and events, more links, and graphics. My personal thanks goes to Ron Plemmons, our newly christened “webmeister,” who has worked to make this possible. For me, August also means the end of one academic year and the beginning of another - a good time to reflect on what we’ve accomplished and to think about how we might serve you better. We published our first newsletter last November convinced that, while novices in the world of journalism, we could create one of some merit – our definition at the time meant that it had to be readable, contain information that helped people do their jobs better, and introduce concepts that define “managed care” and it’s role in the health care system. Our new format should make that easier for us to do, and enable us to do a little more. Looking toward a new academic year and our second year of publication, we’re renewing our commitment to serve as an easy point of reference for news about our contracted health plans, information on health care trends, and important local and national health care public policy issues. This year, August also means political conventions and signals the fall presidential campaign. Make no mistake; health care will remain at the top of the national political agenda during the coming year. The nation’s uninsured. Prescription drug coverage. A Patient’s Bill of Rights. It will be interesting to see how the candidates and other elected officials navigate the fractured terrain of health care politics. The outcome is yet to unfold…… The Editor

This bulletin is designed to facilitate communication among those involved in the administration and delivery of patient care services at UICMC. We welcome your comments and suggestions. Editor Mary Gibson mgm@uic.edu Director Roger Carlson rogcar@uic.edu