CEO: WellPoint consolidation to improve execution, accountability
After only two months on the job, WellPoint CEO Joseph Swedish is shaking up the company's management, consolidating its business into two primary units.
Aetna, CareFirst, Kaiser, UnitedHealth interested in D.C. exchange
As insurers continue to submit plans to sell on states' health insurance exchanges, the Washington, D.C. online marketplace boasted that four major companies intend to operate on its exchange.
Medicare Advantage plans outperform traditional Medicare
Medicare Advantage plans offered by private insurers result in better outcomes on certain key measures than traditional Medicare plans provided by the government, a new study shows.
Humana to boost membership, efficiency of Medicare Advantage plans
Despite concerns that the federal government will reduce payments for Medicare Advantage plans, Humana isn't changing its strategy to expand its private Medicare business.
Surprisingly low premium rates submitted for Oregon exchange
Despite warnings from industry officials and insurance brokers that premium prices would grow by more than 30 percent in Oregon, the rates that the 16 insurers proposed are more reasonable than predicted, according to Reuters.
Southern consumers support Medicaid expansion
Most people in the South support the reform law's Medicaid expansion, even though their state governors and lawmakers oppose it, reported Stateline.
Two healthcare reform regulations move forward
Despite the ongoing attempts of Republicans to repeal President Obama's health reform law and link it to the current scandal at the Internal Revenue Service, the administration is going ahead with two major Affordable Care Act regulations that provide insurance to people with pre-existing conditions and set maximum profit margins for certain providers
WellPoint's primary care program gets warm reception from docs
Medicare Advantage poised for strong membership growth
Medicare Advantage enrollment might increase by as much as 50 percent in the next 10 years, according to the latest budget analysis.
AHIP funded small business's campaign against premium tax
America's Health Insurance Plans funded hundreds of thousands of dollars to a popular small-business trade association to help repeal the reform law's premium tax on insurers, the National Journal Daily reported.
States' exchange outreach, education budgets differ greatly
Insurers should keep a watchful eye on their states' financial expenditures, as this may be the best indicator of whether they will enroll large amounts of new consumers shopping on the health insurance exchanges.
Premiums drop, coverage expands in Washington's exchange
Despite predictions of rate shocks, most consumers in Washington state will actually see lower premiums and enhanced coverage when they buy insurance through the state's health insurance exchange.
No Medicaid expansion till 2015 for Pennsylvania, top official says
As Pennsylvania lawmakers consider whether to expand their Medicaid program under the reform law, a top state official said even if Gov. Tom Corbett approves, it would take until at least January 2015 to negotiate and implement the expansion.
State wants pre-existing condition plan left alone
Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Michael Consedine has asked the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services to leave in place the federal program for people with serious health problems, LifeHealthPro reported.
Utah gets approval for dual-model exchange
Utah is set to become the only state in the country with a dual-model health insurance exchange, which will be split into two parts that will be run separately by Utah and federal officials.
Did HHS solicit donations from insurers to help promote health law?
Republican lawmakers are trying to discern whether the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has been requesting insurers donate money to help it promote the reform law and the health insurance exchanges, in particular.
Insurers will cover 2M fewer consumers thanks to reform
Insurers will be competing for fewer consumers when the health insurance exchanges and other provisions of the reform law are implemented, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
3 WellPoint board members resign for personal reasons
WellPoint has lost three board members, who all cited personal reasons for leaving the second-largest insurer in the country. The insurer says that the board members' decisions didn't result from any disputes with the company.
Study: Employer-based coverage will survive post-reform
A new report analyzing employer-sponsored health coverage in Massachusetts indicates businesses likely will continue offering health plans to their employees in a post-reform market.
Value-based payments gain traction among insurers
Based on interviews with 39 health insurers, 82 percent of respondents consider developing new payment models a "major priority" for their organizations.
