Managed care. let alone managed competition. does not have a strong track record in rural areas or traditionally underserved areas. Maximum flexibility must be provided to rural areas to create their own communitybased networks of care. Community health centers and migrant health centers must be given full support to continue to function independent of the alliance system. if need be. and not be Inadvertently punished for serving as a safety net. These health centers have served an incredibly important function for people who have had no other recourse to get health care. They can still serve an important function under any new system.