EXPANDING RURAL MANAGED CARE - ENROLLMENT PATTERNS AND PROSPECTS

This paper synthesizes national data on rural HMO enrollment in commer cial plans, Medicaid HMOs and prepaid plans, and Medicare risk-based p lans. Although most rural counties now are included in the service are a of at least one commercial HMO, rural HMO enrollment rates are still very low. The expansion of HMO capacity to serve rural enrollees, the continued implementation of Medicaid waivers, and the recent passage of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 with substantial Medicare program r evisions suggest increased rural managed care enrollment in the future .