A new study out to day estimates that health care for the chronically ill -- people with cancer, diabetes, AIDS and other conditions that require long term costly care -- cost over 400 billion dollars in 1990. NPR has a report from Rachel Gottbaum about patients and doctors in HMOs who complain that the health plans are trying to cut costs by making it difficult for chronically ill patients to get the care they need. HMOs say they are just trying to make sure the health care system operates more efficiently.
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