Michigan's economy has begun to recover from its bottom, but health plan purchasers are only coming back into the market cautiously. Demand is up for products that will yield better medical outcom…
Health reform doesn't make its biggest splash until 2014, but health plans are getting their feet wet this year having to comply with numerous new mandates in the next 12 months. Among the most ch…
The Michigan agency that oversees Medicaid has elected to expand the pharmacy carve-out for psychotropic drugs, taking the responsibility away from the state's Medicaid HMOs. The advantage to the…
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…
A change in pharmacy benefit management at California's largest health insurer paves the way for a gradual shift in focus to home delivery of medications, particularly generics. Analysts say the p…
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…
The HMO subsidiary of Michigan's largest health insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has begun the process to purchase an independent, Lansing-based HMO, Physicians Health Plan of Mid-Michi…
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…
Three major insurers — Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Humana and UnitedHealthcare — have teamed up with 11 local physician group practices and a local organization to pilot a patient-centered m…
Fallon Community Health Plan, based in Worcester, Mass., is reacting to local market dynamics in announcing its intention to expand into neighboring New Hampshire. The Massachusetts market is dominate…
UnitedHealth's recently-competed purchase and integration of Sierra Health Services has made it the undisputed leader in Nevada's healthcare market, but new competition from Coventry and a new…
Even as health plans struggle to retain members in a state with one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, moves are under way to redesign health benefits both by the private and public sec…
Health insurers in the Midwest are coping with the recession by laying off employees, holding the line on pricing and adjusting benefit design to allow employers to take advantage of additional cost-s…
The war of words over the proposed merger of Highmark Inc and Independence Blue Cross reached continued with testimony from Highmark officials that they would not move into IBC's Philadelphia serv…