Historically, cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) has not had a vital role in formulating health policy. Hopefully, as the methodology becomes more accepted by policymakers and healthcare providers, CEA will impact decisions and become a more integral component in future recommendations. At a symposium during the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Society for Medical Decision Making,*CEA was shown to be beneficial in supporting a Medicare decision concerning the provision of preventive services for elderly women. The presenter of this session expressed the need for providers to take CEA results 'back to the field' by incorporating cost-effective medicine in appropriate clinical practice situations.