WASHINGTON (AP) - Lawmakers and health care experts said Monday they were concerned doctors, hospitals and other Medicare health insurance providers will not be prepared to handle the Y2K computer problem. "The outlook is alarming," said Rep. Stephen Horn, R-Calif., chairman of the House Government Reform subcommittee monitoring the year 2000 computer issue. As of last week, he said, less than 2% of the 230,000 hospitals, nursing homes, doctors and other health care providers who submit claims to Medicare had tested their computer systems with Medicare contractors. Gary Christoph, chief information officer for the Health Care Financing Administration, which oversees the Medicare program, told Horn's panel the HCFA has fixed its internal computer systems and sees no interruptions from its end in servicing the 39 million senior citizens eligible for Medicare.

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