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It's finally clear: The insurance tail wags the provider dog
While insurance companies have troubles of their own, generally speaking they seem to be doing a lot better than hospitals and medical practices. Hospitals and physician groups have made very deep... Read more...
Current reform plan would cut public hospital fees to below private plan levels
According to a new analysis by The Lewin Group, under a health reform draft currently under consideration by Congress, the number of uninsured Americans would fall dramatically, by about 32. 6... Read more...
Health plans challenged by adverse selection fears
Given the economic conditions out there, health plans actually aren't doing too badly. But that hasn't been too impressive for Wall Street, which has kept a beady eye on an even more critical number... Read more...
Health plans work to change their image
For almost as long as they've existed, health plans have had something of an adversarial role in the healthcare system. In particular, they've gone head-to-head with providers and employers, both of... Read more...
Universal health coverage won't solve all bad debt problems
Sure, universal health coverage will get rid of uninsured patients, the source of most bad debt. However, analysts say that while collection account balances will likely go down, that doesn't mean... Read more...
California, other states consider raising minimum medical-loss ratios
We have bad news about insurance companies almost every day: fines over alleged rescissions, settlements for unfair business practices, and other various and sundry other problems. Under these... Read more...
WellPoint pushes stock prices up, but not profits, by raising premiums
Five months ago, Angela Braly, the CEO of health plan giant WellPoint, told investors that the plan could turn around falling profits by Read more...
WellPoint loses money for Q2, but still pleases investors
Giant health plan WellPoint had what most financial types would consider a tough second quarter, with earnings falling 10 percent and its overall profit predictions for 2008 falling. Still, given... Read more...
Tough challenges on the horizon
I hate to be a downer, but from where I sit, next year's shaping up to be pretty scary for providers. For one thing, several leading health plans have vowed to raise premiums in 2009. As we've... Read more...
Health plans need new approaches to profitability
Now I get it. To get back their healthy profits--which have taken a serious plunge of late--all U.S. health plans have to do is a) raise premiums and b) lower reimbursements for providers. Easy as... Read more...
