health insurer
BCBS of MA plans reimbursement changes
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, the dominant health insurer in the state, is making a major change in the way it pays its physicians. It's moving from fee-for-service payments to offer... Read more...
NC health insurer posts cost data online
North Carolina's largest health insurer has begun posting prices online for hundreds of healthcare services and procedures, in a move which is likely to spark imitations by other competing health... Read more...
ALSO NOTED: CA presses three hospitals on bypass deaths; HealthMarkets forced to make changes; and much more...
> A new state analysis has focused attention on three California hospitals which, according to the data, had the highest mortality rates for coronary bypass surgery in 2005. Read more...
ALSO NOTED: Humana buys insurer for $188M; Pennsylvania pays for remote monitoring; and much more...
> Humana has set plans to buy life and health insurer KMG America Corp for about $188 million. Read more...
States say insurer uses unfair practices
The state of Massachusetts is the latest to investigate health insurer HealthMarkets, contending that the company engaged in unfair business practices and deceived consumers by selling policies which... Read more...
Program briefs med students in financial realities
In Miami, medical students all get a briefing in the sometimes perplexing financial realities of their chosen profession--and some of them are a bit shocked by what they hear. For about 10 years, students at the University of Miami med school have spent a day at the headquarters of health insurer AvMed getting briefed on the latest financial issues facing practicing physicians. One-fourth of the med school's third-year class visits with health plan executives every three months. This …
... Read more...Consumers, legislators challenge PA Blues merger
A proposed merger between Pennsylvania-based health plans Independence Blue Cross and Highmark drew criticism yesterday, with politicians and consumer groups raising questions about the impact of the deal. The proposed merger, which has already been approved by the boards of the two plans, would create the nation's third-largest health insurer, with 9 million beneficiaries and more than …
... Read more...Study: Patients satisfied with retail clinics
If you're convinced that people won't settle for cut-rate retail clinic care, think again. Though some quality concerns remain, most U.S. residents who have visited a retail clinic are satisfied with the service they received, according to a new survey by The Wall Street Journal Online and Harris Interactive. The research, which surveyed 2,441 U.S. adults, found that five percent had visited a retail clinic. Nearly half (44 percent) visited for a vaccination, 33 percent …
... Read more...ALSO NOTED: Doctor-owned insurer launches in OH; CO withdraws database proposal; and much more...
> A new doctor-owned health insurer is poised to launch in central Ohio. Article
> Colorado leaders have withdrawn a proposal to create a database of residents' names, social security numbers, employers and health coverage information. …
... Read more...PA health plan merger would create giant
A proposed merger between two of Pennsylvania's nonprofit health insurers would create the nation's third largest health insurer, at least when measured by premiums collected. The boards of... Read more...
