IN the context of the "Current Status of Comprehensive and Regional Planning of Health Service," my topic is "Regional Medical Program Planning." This could give the impression that the subject matter should be entirely related to Public Law 89-239 and its amending legislation, more commonly known as Heart, Cancer, Stroke, and Related Diseases. Related, yes, but entirely involved with that subject, no. Regional medical programs existed before this law, taking various forms from group hospital management to county medical society joint educational programs and numerous regionalized medical programs throughout the country. Such is the case under study here, with one over-riding distinction.