P-901: A paradigm for change: Integration of a fee-for-service (FFS) in vitro fertilization (IVF) program within a health maintenance organization (HMO) environment

Abstract

Those familiar with HMOs know the complexities of embarking on a new program within the managed care (MC) setting. Not only are there inherent difficulties in developing a program, to design a new FFS IVF venture within the MC environment necessitates a remarkable degree of rigor in order to encompass the merging of advanced technology medicine with exceptional quality outcomes. Yet knowing this and that others said it couldn’t be done, one of the largest HMO’s in the nation, Kaiser Permanente (KP), took on the task of developing an internalized FFS IVF program.