What is the primary focus of managed care organizations (MCO)?

The primary focus of managed care organizations (MCO) is to provide comprehensive healthcare at lower costs. MCOs achieve this goal by coordinating patient care and streamlining various services to mitigate unnecessary expenses while ensuring that patients receive appropriate and timely medical attention. This approach emphasizes health maintenance and preventive care, which can lead to reduced overall healthcare spending by preventing more serious health issues from developing.

MCOs effectively manage costs by negotiating fixed prices with healthcare providers, implementing care management programs and utilizing evidence-based practices. This not only helps reduce expenditures but also improves access to care for members.

The remaining options do not capture the essence of what MCOs aim to achieve. While improving hospital efficiency and promoting private health insurance sales might align with certain operational goals, they are not the primary intent of MCOs. Establishing minimum wage regulations is entirely unrelated to the objectives of managed care organizations and falls outside the healthcare domain they operate in. Thus, the focus of MCOs squarely rests on delivering comprehensive healthcare services in a cost-effective manner.