WellPoint, other health insurers race to join accountable care groups
The health care industry is responding to reforms that will pay doctors bonuses if they provide high-quality care and save
Medicare money.
Health Insurance
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WellPoint, peers focus on health reform rules, campaign
WellPoint Inc., UnitedHealth Group Inc. and three other health insurers, criticized by Democrats during the health care reform
debate, are seeking to influence how the new law will be implemented, and possibly change it, by campaigning for supportive
congressional candidates.
Investors fear insurers’ rosy outlook will boost regulators’ scrutiny
Indianapolis-based WellPoint Inc. became the third U.S. health insurer this month to increase its 2010 profit forecast, stirring
investor concern that state and federal regulators may increase scrutiny of industry pricing.
Hospitals map out ways to bypass insurers
Clarian Health is launching its own health insurance plan, the boldest of several initiatives at Indianapolis hospitals to
bypass health insurers and provide health benefits directly to employers.
Health reform rule could cost WellPoint
WellPoint Inc. has about $800 million riding on one arcane rule: how to calculate a medical loss ratio. The ratio quantifies
the percentage of customers’ premiums were spent on medical care, rather than overhead or profits.
Connecticut to probe WellPoint security breach
Attorney general seeks more details on the breach, which may have compromised financial and health information on almost 500,000
people. He also calls on the Indianapolis-based insurer to provide affected customers with credit monitoring and theft protection
services.
Program tying doctor bonuses to quality goes statewide
The program currently includes 1,200 physicians—about 10 percent of all doctors in Indiana.
WellPoint seeking 14 percent rate hike in California
Indianapolis-based WellPoint Inc. said Wednesday that its California subsidiary will dial down rate hikes that drew national outrage earlier this year and helped spark a final push for health care reform.
Health care reform bringing changes to Caregivers
Caregivers anticipates coping with declining Medicare reimbursements while having to offer insurance to its employees.
Braly’s political skirmishes hurting insurer, critics say
When WellPoint Inc. named Angela Braly its CEO three years ago, it touted her experience dealing with politicians and government
regulators. But WellPoint is now the poster child for health insurer bad behavior—credited in Washington with reviving a
dead health reform bill the company opposed.
WellPoint CFO says feds may phase in medical-spending rule
U.S. regulators may phase in requirements on how much health insurers spend on medical care to avoid pushing plans out of
the market for people who buy their own coverage, WellPoint Inc.’s chief financial officer said Wednesday.
Report says Blue Cross worst in insurance claim accuracy
One in five medical claims is processed inaccurately by commercial health insurers—and a unit of Indianapolis-based
WellPoint Inc. does even worse—often leaving physicians shortchanged, according to the nation's largest doctor's
group.
Insurer WellPoint plans online care option
WellPoint plans to build a network of primary care doctors and specialists who will be available any time to consult with
patients.
WellPoint spent $1.4M lobbying government in first quarter
The Indianapolis-based insurer’s first-quarter spending is 16 percent more than it spent in the same quarter last year and
in the fourth quarter of 2009.
Effective stats are new hurdle for U.S. drugmakers
WellPoint Inc.'s announcement of comparative effectiveness research guidelines last week marks a new era for U.S. drugmakers.
The Indianapolis-based health insurer will use studies that compare the effectiveness of one drug against another as a complement
to typical clinical trial research that compares a drug against a placebo sugar pill.
ER doc is affable WellPoint activist
Dr. Rob Stone wants the giant health insurer to convert to not-for-profit status and put him, an advocate of national health
insurance, on the company’s board.
Buffett bails on WellPoint
Influential investor sold off all 1.3 million shares in the Indianapolis-based health insurer during the first quarter.
WellPoint meeting ends abruptly as Bush collapses
Board member William “Bucky” Bush, uncle of former President George W. Bush, appeared OK after a shortened meeting in which
shareholders approved
a “say-on-pay” proposal. Protesters gathered outside WellPoint’s headquarters after the meeting.
Q&A
Joe Guzman is a co-founder of Indianapolis-based Ascend USA, the new trade adopted after Guzman merged his
benefits brokerage, Benefits Strategies Inc., with benefits business Steven Goodin. The eight-person firm expects to hire
as many 15 new employees in the next year. Those workers will help Ascend diversify from health benefits into brokering commercial
insurance products.
Study: Quality, costs better at big practices
As physician mergers increase in Indianapolis, a new study has determined that quality at large, multispecialty practices is at
least 5 percent higher and costs are 3.6 percent lower than at small group practices.