There has been a broad consensus concerning the health care crisis facing the United States, which, in turn, influenced the Russian Federation policymakers. Of particular concern are: large numbers of uninsured; unprecedented growth in profit margins for the insurance industry; decreased workplace mobility due to fear of changing jobs and losing medical benefits; and reduced government budgetary allocations for other important areas such as housing, transportation, and education. The United States spent, on a per capita basis, 43 percent more on health care than Canada and 131 percent more than Japan in 1992, but its population was no healthier. The lack of a direct relationship between health status and cost of medical services has remained a topic of sophisticated debate among American policymakers (Centers for Disease Control, 1992c) and researchers (Vogt, l993; Young, 1993).