Cost-effective health care: the Rochester experience.

Rochester, New York, has been cited repeatedly for having achieved one of the most cost-effective and efficient health care systems in the country. The determinants of the success of this system include a long history of comprehensive health planning; innovative hospital reimbursement programs; community-rated health insurance; and high levels of mutual cooperation among business, insurers, hospitals, and physicians. The Rochester system promotes the goals of access, quality, affordability, and provider satisfaction through a balanced approach to regulation and competition.