Physician Participation Aud Service Concentration In Medi-Cal

Medi-Cal, the California version of Medicaid, was enacted in November of 1965 as one of the most generous of the state Medicaid programs. Since enactment, conflicting cost projections, periodic contractions in covered services and/or reimbursement rates, and verbal abuse from professional organizations have been the rule. 1 Recent rapid inflation of medical care prices, the mal-practice crisis, and the imminent collapse of the national health planning program have made the future of Medi-Cal more uncertain. The absence of any movement toward National Health Insurance has made effective planning and evaluation of Medicaid more important since it will remain the most important program providing care to the poor.