KENNEBUNK, Maine--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Most of the nation’s leading health plans saw enrollment gains in the first quarter of 2010, a significant improvement over 2009. Between December 2009 and March 2010 top plans saw an aggregate increase of over 687,000 members. While aggregated fully-insured business continued to experience losses, the administrative services only (ASO) segment gained over 1 million members during the primary 2010 open enrollment season. Administrative expense declines and lower medical cost trends have helped improve the financial condition of most plans as they enter the new decade.
Mark Farrah Associates (MFA), a leading provider of market data and intelligence solutions, found -- for the eight leading U.S. health insurers -- total membership increased 0.5% for the quarter, from 130.9 million in 4Q09 to 131.6 million for 1Q10. Risk enrollment declined -0.6% and ASO enrollment increased 1.6% for the quarter.
WellPoint and UnitedHealth, the two largest plans in the United States, both saw total enrollment increases of 165,000 and 290,000 respectively, between 4Q09 and 1Q10. WellPoint added 565,000 new ASO members in 1Q10, but lost 400,000 fully insured members. UnitedHealth saw gains in both segments. Aetna, the third largest health insurance organization in the country, lost 226,000 total members during the same period.
In the latest Healthcare Business Strategy report, MFA reviewed enrollment and financial trends among eight top health insurers: Aetna, CIGNA, Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), Health Net, Humana, Kaiser Permanente, UnitedHealth Group and WellPoint. It looks at results from first quarter 2010 and year-over-year. These eight health plans cover approximately 43% of the total population in the nation, down slightly from March 2009. Financial and membership data and observations were gleaned from the July 2010 Health Insurer Insights™ series.
To read the full text of “1Q10 Enrollment Gains for Leading Health Plans,” visit the Healthcare Business Strategy library on Mark Farrah Associates’ website www.markfarrah.com.
About Mark Farrah Associates (MFA)
MFA is a leading data aggregator and publisher providing health plan market data and analysis tools for the healthcare industry. Committed to simplifying analysis of health insurance business, our products include Medicare Business Online™, Medicare Benefits Analyzer™, Health Coverage Portal™, Health Insurer Insights™ and the new Health Plans USA™.
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Debra Donahue, 207-985-8484
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INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Practice Management Health Other Health Professional Services Insurance General Health Managed Care
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