What legislative act in 1973 aimed to enhance the development of Health Maintenance Organizations?

The Health Maintenance Organization Act of 1973 was specifically designed to encourage the growth and development of Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) in the United States. This legislation provided federal funds for HMO planning and implementation, enabling more efficient healthcare delivery by providing an organized system of care under a prepayment model.

By promoting managed care principles, the act aimed to improve the quality of healthcare while controlling costs. Additionally, it required states to establish a regulatory framework for HMOs, which helped ensure their operational viability and consumer protection. The establishment of HMOs was seen as a way to expand access to healthcare services while emphasizing preventive care, a shift from the traditional fee-for-service approach.

In contrast, other legislative acts listed, such as the Medicare Act, primarily focused on providing health coverage to specific populations, like the elderly, and did not directly aim at enhancing HMO development; the Affordable Care Act is more recent and centered around expanding health coverage and reforming health insurance markets, while the Older Americans Act addresses services for older adults rather than health maintenance organizations directly. This makes the Health Maintenance Organization Act the correct answer as it is the legislative act that specifically targeted the growth and establishment of HMOs.