With the economy hitting California hard, the pressure is on more than ever for health insurers to respond to the small employer group market, in particular, with plan designs that get the premiums do…
Oregon's Drug Effectiveness Review Project is just the kind of independent comparative study of prescription drugs that health policy makers are looking to as they try to trim healthcare costs tow…
Health plans have begun to put generic dispensing goals into their pay-for-performance packages with some health plans. Advocate Physicians, which works closely with its payors, instituted a focused g…
Biologics used to treat immune diseases cost much more than their small-molecule counterparts, and so their use involves costs disproportionate to the number of patients treated. As a result of thi…
A significant medical home pilot program has begun in the Phoenix and Tucson areas in which UnitedHealthcare is offering additional payments for primary-care providers involved in the treatment of pat…
Colorado has kicked off a broad medical home project in 17 primary care practices around the state. Those physicians will receive standard fee-for-service, a monthly care management fee and bonuses fo…
Both Virginia and Maryland lawmakers took steps to make insurance for small businesses more affordable in their 2009 sessions. In Virginia, lawmakers passed legislation allowing health plan designs to…
Florida delivers managed care services to Medicaid beneficiaries in many ways, and now it's looking at adding yet another delivery system. In the summer of 2010, the state plans to test a medical…
Georgia is a testing ground for new product designs for group and individual buyers. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia has introduced new products geared to those who want coverage for essentials,…
Health insurers in Oregon and Washington are paying special attention to pricing in 2009 in order to maintain their customer base, but are also casting a wary eye to any blip in medical costs as the i…
The HealthLeaders-InterStudy Market Analyst team analyzes major developments at the nation’s publicly held health plans each quarter through their financial releases and conference call transcripts. T…
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…
Against a backdrop of rising unemployment and businesses trying to cut healthcare costs, health plans in Pennsylvania are increasing their offerings of individual products and fielding group plans wit…
Economic forces have put pressure on the budgets of Missouri and Kansas, putting health reforms in the backseat for 2009. Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon wants to restore some residents cut from Medicaid in 2…
Changes in Oregon's regulation of small-group health plans are causing major fluctuations in rates for some groups, and creating opportunities for companies willing to respond to the new realities…