rou re in me trap, 100. inesiCKenmg spiral or

rou re in me trap, 100. inesiCKenmg spiral or living costs. Oh sure, there are cheaper cuts of meat and do-it-yourself repairs. There are fewer luxuries and much more of make-it-do or do-without. But there just isn’t a home-made remedy for cutting down on the cost of health care. To put health care off is more expensive whether you think in terms of dollars, or more importantly, lives. To do without health care is unthinkable. And you can’t do anything about it. But we can. And we are. In fact, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia are leading the way in holding the line on health care costs. Working with hospitals, physicians and health care officials, we have undertaken a number of important cost control projects. These include: 1. Pre-admission Testing—Members are encouraged to have routine lab tests made a day or so before entering the hospital as patients. This reduces cost to the patient and permits greater use of needed hospital beds. 2. Preventing Duplicate Payment—Blue Cross and Blue Shield have launched a program designed to prevent a person from being reimbursed more than once and profiting from his illness or injury. This will discourage unnecessary payments and use of medical facilities. 3. Area-wide Planning—Blue Cross and Blue Shield are working with representatives of hospitals, physicians, business and government in determining where new health care facilities are being located- and the type of facilities needed most. This program can result in the saving of millions of dollars and more efficient service to patients. 4. Cost Control Program for Hospitals Blue Cross of Virginia has initiated a new incentive program to encourage hospitals to improve the utilization of beds and other facilities and to take steps that will measurably hold the « line on costs. This new program has already shown important results that will benefit all Virginians. 5. Administration -By consolidating and coordinating all activities into one central headquarters building from the five previously scattered ones Blue Cross and Blue Shield are achieving a considerable savings amounting to more than $100,000 a year. Furthermore the building will permit future expansion at minimal cost 6. Cost Saving Computers Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia have developed the most advanced data pro cessing system in the nation to handle healthcare claims. With direct hook-ups to hospitals, doctors and druggists.