What is the primary objective of tiering in managed care?

The primary objective of tiering in managed care is to control costs and improve quality. In a tiered network, healthcare providers are classified into different levels or "tiers" based on various criteria such as the cost of services, quality of care, or patient satisfaction. This structure encourages patients to seek care from higher-tiered providers, who may offer better quality services or more cost-effective care.

By incentivizing patients to choose providers that deliver better value, managed care organizations can effectively manage healthcare costs while also focusing on improving the quality of care that patients receive. This approach helps ensure that patients are more informed consumers of healthcare, which can lead to better health outcomes and more efficient use of healthcare resources.

The other options focus on aspects that do not align with the fundamental goals of tiering. Eliminating provider options does not contribute to the shared goals of cost-control and quality improvement. Increasing patient premiums would typically lead to greater financial burden on patients without directly addressing the quality or cost-effectiveness of care. Similarly, simplifying healthcare delivery, while beneficial, does not encompass the broader aim of balancing cost with quality considerations inherent in tiered networks.