And as of this week, the state is expected to permit traditional insurers to bargain with hospitals in setting rates.

Many private doctors initially avoided H.M.O.'s because they were reluctant to cede control over medical decisions and the plans paid far less than traditional insurers.

Membership in a captive offers coverage at lower rates than those offered by such traditional insurers.

When it comes to paying claims, there is no practical difference between traditional and self-insurance because, for a fee, the traditional insurer handles the claims.

One could be an H.M.O.; at least one must be a traditional insurer.

Meeting increasing competition, some traditional insurers have started H.M.O.'s of their own.

The goal of Benecaid's marketing team was to create an identity differentiating themselves from the traditional and conservative insurers dominating the Canadian economy.

Close supervision also gives H.M.O.'s quality improvement methods unavailable to traditional insurers.

Only about 12 percent of his revenues come from traditional insurers willing to pay full price.

For traditional insurers, who reimburse by ascribing a dollar value to each service, prevention poses thorny problems.