A new tier of health care management initiatives.

Some employers spend half their health benefits dollars on outpatient care. Utilization of ambulatory services is up, costs-per-case are escalating fast--with some procedures demonstrably costing 85%-95% of inpatient charges--and providers' profits are increasing. Executives of the Health Data Institute and The Associated Group describe a multi-pronged approached to managing the burgeoning costs of a health care delivery alternative that was supposed to save employers money.