Abstract:

Over the last decade, cost-containment pressures, health care reform debates, movement to case-managed health care, and reductions in health care benefits have required most families to be responsible for selecting specific health care services that keep costs to a minimum. As Eddy [17-20] discussed in a series of articles on making decisions in health care, the consensus among health care policymakers is that family values are to be respected, but application of cost benefit analyses are essential because of limited resources. Therefore, only approaches proven beneficial can be prescribed, even though a family might desire other methods. Costs and health care benefits have become critical concerns to families due to the continuing escalation of health care costs and potential bankruptcy from such costs.