The economy has inspired fewer bold moves and more fiscal caution in the TriState health insurance market, both in government and the private sector. Connecticut is experiencing a seismic shift in its…
While lawmakers in Washington, D.C., fight over a problematic national healthcare reform bill that includes an individual mandate, the only state in the nation with such a law in placeÑMass…
The Illinois and Iowa commercial health insurance markets took hits through much of 2009 as rising unemployment resulted in fewer insured residents. The issue was more severe in Illinois where the man…
In Georgia and Louisiana, state government is the largest employer and insures the largest group of people. In both states, cost saving changes are under way. Louisiana is looking at privatizing its s…
Arizona has one of the hardest hit economies in the nation, according to various indicators. As a result, commercial healthcare enrollment is down and enrollment in the state’s CHIP program has been c…
Ohio has decided to carve out Medicaid pharmacy in anticipation of the passage of a new federal law, the Drug Rebate Equalization Act. The Act will give managed care companies the same rebates – aroun…
UnitedHealthcare's Connected Care program, an effort to create a national telehealth network, has taken root in a partnership with Centura Health and rural health facilities. Diabetes management h…
Independence Blue Cross is one of the state’s largest health insurers, but is one of the last to cover its members’ self-injected specialty drugs under the medical benefit. But that’s changing in 2010…
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City has engaged a medical home pilot with TransforMED, bringing new technologies to 13 medical practices in its operating regions. The practices can build the med…
As the nation moves toward comprehensive healthcare reform, co-ops are gaining national recognition as a possible alternative to a public healthcare option. Wisconsin's co-ops have been successful…
Several Tennessee-based companies are confident enough about the future of Medicare Advantage programs to launch expansions. Most notable in the group is BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, the state’s…
Florida Medicare Advantage plans are reacting to reduced reimbursements by scaling back benefits and raising costs to their HMO members for 2010. The change, which comes as the federal government is c…
Enrollment in Medicare Advantage continues to grow in the South though private-fee-for-service plans are leaving the market in anticipation of the Congressional mandate for network-based products in 2…
Massachusetts' largest health insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield, is embracing one of the latest trends in pharmacy benefit management, that of value-based benefit design. The Boston-based health pla…
Group Health's governance as a nonprofit member-owned cooperative has attracted national attention recently as healthcare reform discussions in Washington DC look toward insurance cooperatives as…