Back to the Future?

Attached a link http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444840104577552823507551472.html to an article titled " Remember Managed Care? It's Quietly Coming Back" and video clip to the same topic http://live.wsj.com/video/health-insurers-erect-more-patient-hurdles/00207EE1-AEBD-4631-A6B8-78616EA417C1.html#!00207EE1-AEBD-4631-A6B8-78616EA417C1 highlighting the emergence of a new (old) policy by some of the U.S.'s biggest health insurers requiring doctors to get prior authorization before patients can get certain care. Managed care companies tried this in the 90's and quickly backed off responding to political pressure and the fact that employers switched away from restrictive health-maintenance organizations. So what will be different now? Health insurers say today's versions of 1990s strategies use new technology to focus closely on improving care as well as reining in expenses. UnitedHealth, for one, said it is using prior authorization "surgically" to counter "extreme variations in quality and cost." But doctors aren't sure how much things have changed. We must carefully monitor this new(old) development because it certainly will increase the workload in primary care practices WITHOUT receiving additional reimbursement. Yours Bernd