MANAGED CARE October 2003. ©MediMedia USA
Nobody likes a braggart. We're all weary from the hype that has come to be expected from everyone from car salesmen to movie studios to presidential candidates. We're more in danger of tuning out than of being taken in.
Yet there should always be a respectful audience for craftsmen who take quiet pride in their work. All of which is a roundabout way of saying: We're proud of this issue. From the cover story to the monthly departments, our October issue is an easy-to-use survival guide for the busy health plan executive. Why? It's the writing — specifically the work of our contributing editors: Martin Sipkoff, John Carroll, and MargaretAnn Cross.
The next big thing? Better make it things. See what Sipkoff has reported about pain management [1]. The article overflows with information on how this affects you, and what your approach might be. Or see what Cross describes as a trend among HMOs to restore profit margins by charging deductibles [2] for basic services. And just what's up with Maine and the push there by reformers to have universal coverage? [3] Carroll outlines just how much of a chance this has of flying — and spreading.
But the good writing doesn't end with our contributing editors. Look at our Tomorrow's Medicine department [4] and see the important coverage decisions that must be made regarding an acid copolymer for treating severe vesicoureteral reflux. We're proud that the author, Thomas Morrow, MD, sits on our Editorial Advisory Board.
Ed Silverman is a business writer for the Star-Ledger of Newark (N.J.) and a frequent contributor. He spots trouble on the horizon regarding the uneasy relationship between health plans and hospitals [5].
Lack of space prohibits me from continuing, and it's self-serving for me to invite you to see for yourself just how interesting this issue is. Being self-serving doesn't mean it isn't true.