THE MEDICARE PARTICIPATING HEART BYPASS DEMONSTRATION PROJECT IN HOUSTON, TEXAS - THE EXPERIENCE OF ST-LUKES-EPISCOPAL-HOSPITAL, TEXAS-HEART-INSTITUTE, AND CARDIOVASCULAR-CARE-PROVIDERS,-INC

While passage of a health care bill remains uncertain, the structure o f health care in the United Slates is nonetheless changing rapidly. in some cases, physicians and hospitals are working more closely with on e another to provide high-quality care at lower costs. Patients, physi cians, hospitals, and insurers (including the Federal government) can ail benefit from such an arrangement. We review here the experience wi th a program of bundled-fee (physician and hospital) cardiovascular ca re for Medicare patients al the Texas Heart institute al St. Luke's Ep iscopal Hospital in Houston, Texas.