Date Approved
5-1-1997
Embargo Period
8-29-2016
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A. in Public Relations
Department
Public Relations & Advertising
College
Ric Edelman College of Communication & Creative Arts
Advisor
Shapiro, Steven
Subject(s)
Health maintenance organizations; Physicians--Job satisfaction
Disciplines
Public Relations and Advertising
Abstract
In November 1995, at a meeting of the Managed Health Care Congress, Harvard Medical School professor and physician Dr. David Himmelstein, delivered a presentation that included a slide of what he called the "gag clause" in his U.S. Healthcare contract. Dr. Himmelstein explained that he was being restricted in what he could say to his patients - three days later, U.S. Healthcare terminated his contract.
This event, coupled with Dr. Himmelstein's appearance two weeks later on the Donahue Show, sparked a flood of media attention and, in turn, a public outcry. Managed health care, designed to regulate and curtail growing health care costs, had restricted physician patient communications and ultimately threatened the physicians' role.
This study provides an historical report of the gag clause including (1) a description of its public unveiling and critical evaluation, (2) a review of related literature, and (3) a detailed report of the state and federal gag clause legislation.
Recommended Citation
Riley, Emily, "The changing role of the physician as a consequence of the "gag clause" in managed health care contracts" (1997). Theses and Dissertations. 2102.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/2102
