Managed care refers to health care organizations that “manage” or control the cost of health care by monitoring how doctors treat specific illnesses, limit referrals to specialists, and require authorization prior to hospitalization among other measures. Managed care is the leading form of health care in the United States. Whether as a benefit from employers or enrolled independently, those who are fortunate enough to have health insurance, probably get it from a managed health care provider. The most common forms of managed care providers are Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) and Point-of-Service Plans (POS). The main advantage of managed health care is the lower costs associated with them. The aim of managed care is to keep health care costs down without sacrificing quality. This has been accomplished by contracting health care providers and referring these to their enrolled members to avail of services and procedures at a discounted rate. The disadvantage when it comes to managed care for some members is the rigidity of rules concerning the choice of health care providers, which is especially true for HMOs. In some cases, a member may not be fully satisfied with the care that is given by a primary care physician. If a member wishes to consult with another physician who is not …show more content…
Research by Ross, Garfield, Brown, & Raghavan (2015), explains the Indian health system, as well as how it is affected by the Affordable Care Act. The methodologies of the research included incorporating a plethora of sources to provide statistical data, law data, and to support various statements. First and Foremost, the Indian health system consists of the Indian Health Service (IHS), tribally run facilities, and urban located facilities. The Indian Health Care Improvement Act of 1976 and the Snyder Act allowed for the government establishment of funds for American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) individuals who are members of federally recognized tribes (Ross et al., 2015). AI/AN individuals can receive care from the