The high cost of medical care in the United States and diminishing access to health care for many Americans has spurred healthcare reform efforts in this country. Several bills have been introduced into Congress. Many of these healthcare bills and other proposals embrace the concept of managed care and managed competition as their central feature. The steady growth of managed care organizations and the possible adoption of managed competition stands to significantly alter the way critical care medicine is practiced and delivered in the United States. The number of ICUs and ICU beds may be reduced, affecting both patient case mix and the overall mission of the ICU and critical care practice. Furthermore, fewer critical care practitioners may be available as a result of diminished educational funding and reduced training programs. In view of these and other impending changes in the American healthcare system, it is vital to investigate the impact of managed care on ICU practice and patient outcome and to study the incremental and value-added contributions of critical care medicine.