‘Insurance’ Archive

Health overhaul brings change to health insurers, care providers, and medical product makers

by Anne Law, March 25, 2010, 1:11 pm

 
As the dust settles (well, maybe) on the long-fought battle over health care reform, one thing everyone should be able to agree upon is that it will take a good long while for the bill to be …

Florida insurance coverage — gone with the wind?

by Patrice Sarath, February 24, 2009, 10:35 am

The most recent carrier to leave the Sunshine State is State Farm, with Allstate not far behind. Both insurers have said they will no longer write homeowners policies, citing steep losses. State Farm estimated that it was paying $1.21 in claims …

How the stimulus package helps the health care industry

by Anne Law, February 20, 2009, 2:33 pm

As details come to light, several aspects of the recently passed economic stimulus bill reveal themselves as giving a needed boost to health care consumers and providers alike.

First off, state Medicaid offices will receive increased funding …

Prognosis for AIG? Wait and see

by Kristi Park, September 16, 2008, 6:00 am

Sure, everybody likes to feel needed, but the folks at the Fed could probably do with fewer cries for help these days. In one crazy, nightmarish Monday for US financial markets, the Fed not only refused help to flailing Lehman Brothers (which subsequently …

US hospitals: no insurance, no $45,000 check, no service

by Kristi Park, April 29, 2008, 7:00 am

A front-page article in the Wall Street Journal yesterday highlights the common practice among US hospitals of requiring up-front payments from uninsured or under-insured patients before they’ll provide treatment.

The story describes the plight of Lisa Kelly, a Lousiana woman diagnosed with leukemia and …

Recycling meds could benefit health care system

by Anne Law, April 18, 2008, 6:37 am

Bizmology fans who read my post on pharmaceutical contamination of water supplies last month may recall the suggestion that health care facilities and individuals take unused prescriptions to collection centers to help prevent the buildup of chemicals in drinking water.

A …

UnitedHealth conquers Nevada

by Anne Law, February 29, 2008, 6:09 am

The Department of Justice approved UnitedHealth’s acquisition of Nevada insurer Sierra Health Tuesday, allowing the top US health plan provider to widen its girth yet again …

Can Warren Buffett play the bond market?

by Ryan Caione, February 19, 2008, 6:53 am

That imp Warren Buffett is at it again. America’s favorite financial guru (and the mastermind behind legendary Berkshire Hathaway) has offered a helping hand to that most mundane and arcane of sectors, the bond insurers. The companies no one hears about until …

Clarian’s pay-per-cigarette health plan turns to ash

by Kristi Park, February 13, 2008, 5:05 am

If you’ve been reading Bizmology for a while, you might remember a story about the efforts of Indiana health system Clarian Health Partners to reduce its health care costs by docking workers’ paychecks for unhealthy behaviors. If you don’t, here’s a refresher: In June …

How will Marsh navigate boggy ground?

by Anne Law, January 9, 2008, 6:09 am

A few days before Christmas, Marsh & McLennan Companies (MMC) delivered the news that it would be searching for a replacement for CEO Michael Cherkasky — a holiday announcement that cheered investors, though it was …