health plans

Health plans need new approaches to profitability

admin — Wed, 14 May 2008 06:59:59 -0400

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...

Health plans to boost premiums, squeeze providers

admin — Wed, 14 May 2008 06:59:57 -0400

As readers know, several leading health plans have taken a profitability beating over the last several months, for reasons that include operational issues, medical costs and losses in the financial Read more...

Fear and trembling in health plan land

admin — Wed, 07 May 2008 06:59:59 -0400

Well, this week caps it. It seems like we're looking at just about a clean sweep where bad-news health plan financials are concerned: UnitedHealth Group, Humana, Cigna, WellPoint, Kaiser and Read more...

Providers could face big squeeze in '09

admin — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:59:59 -0400

Next year isn't likely to be pretty for providers. As a story in this week's newsletter notes, insurance companies have been watching profits fall, so they're likely to raise premiums in 2009. Then, Read more...

Insurer troubles could mean more bad debt for providers

admin — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:59:58 -0400

In recent weeks, health insurers have started announcing financial results, and the news hasn't been good. WellPoint, for example, Read more...

Tool could help demonstrate ROI on quality improvement

admin — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:59:55 -0400

If you're a financial executive, you want to be sure that you're getting your money's worth on every investment--including dollars spent on quality improvement. Generally speaking, however, the ROI Read more...

Case study: MDs succeed with Medicare HMO business

admin — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:59:54 -0400

A group of St. Louis physicians have built a thriving Medicare Advantage plan they say is more financially friendly to providers than plans run by managed care companies. According to Charles Wiley, Read more...

ALSO NOTED: MN health plans post '07 loss; Judge revokes bail for NCFE execs; and much more...

admin — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:59:50 -0400

> Minnesota health plans posted a collective loss in 2007, which could mean that their premiums will rise faster in the future. Read more...

SPOTLIGHT: The end of the line for CDHPs?

admin — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 07:59:52 -0400

A recent report by the Employee Benefits Research Institute maintains that consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs) won't last too much longer if they can't "communicate" better with their intended Read more...

'Facilities fees' for doctor visits startle patients

admin — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 07:59:55 -0400

Healthcare billing is complex enough without throwing another factor into the mix. Increasingly, however, it seems that consumers are being caught off guard by a new bill--a "facility fee" Read more...