What does 'managed care' aim to achieve?

Managed care is designed to reduce health care costs by coordinating and managing patient care effectively. It emphasizes preventive care and the efficient use of resources, aiming to ensure that patients receive appropriate care while minimizing unnecessary expenditures. This system typically involves a network of providers who work together to provide care for patients, promoting consistency and continuity in treatment. By managing how care is delivered—through strategies such as requiring referrals for specialist visits, authorizing certain procedures, and having the primary care physician oversee patient care—managed care seeks to maintain quality while controlling costs.

The other options do not align with the core objective of managed care. For instance, increasing hospital stays and specialist visits contradicts the goal of cost reduction, as it typically leads to higher expenses. Similarly, providing unlimited access to any health service is contrary to the managed care philosophy, which prioritizes cost-effectiveness and the judicious use of resources. Lastly, while managed care does have protocols to influence patient outcomes, it generally emphasizes collaboration with providers rather than controlling outcomes without their input.