A proposed method for using a reimbursement moratorium to encourage recruitment for a randomized study of carotid endarterectomy.

As indicated by Barnett, Plum and Walton, a definitive clinical trial to resolve the issue of the effectiveness of carotid endarterectomy is clearly needed. A proposal to foster such a trial, through a moratorium on third-party reimbursement other than for randomized patients, has herein been presented.