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January 31, 2005
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MHMR January 31, 2005; Volume 13, Number 2
SPECIAL REPORT: Uninsured Market...Market for uninsured gets hot...Aetna, Allstate, Star HRG/UICI, United, WellPoint...Midwest Blues eye joint PPO...Medicare drug rules finalized...Is price competition slowing?...Horizon-NJ is top Medicare PPO...Kaiser is top Medicare HMO...Humana Medicare opens access...Health spending rises 7.7% in ‘03...Sierra raises ’05 earnings outlook...PacifiCare doubles 4Q04 net...UAHC posts gain in profits...Coventry taps Creasy...HMO stocks fall 2%...HMO services stocks fall 1%...and more...
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PRICING “LESS COMPETITIVE,” HOJLO SAYS
Patrick Hojlo of Credit Suisse First Boston (New York) said fourth-quarter financial reports from managed care organization should confirm that premium “pricing is less competitive now than it was 12 months ago” for his top 2005 stock picks: Aetna, Amerigroup, UnitedHealth Group, WellChoice and WellPoint.
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MEDICARE DRUG RULES FINALIZED
The clock is now ticking for health plans, pharmacy benefit managers and others hoping to participate in the 2006 Medicare Part D drug program.
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7 BCBS PLANS EYE JOINT PPO
The chief executives of Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in the seven-state upper midwest and northern plains region of the new Medicare PPO program will meet this month to discuss options for jointly offering regional PPO products, Mark Banks, M.D., chief executive, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota (St. Paul, MN), told MHMR.
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MARKET FOR UNINSURED GETS HOT
The market to provide voluntary healthcare coverage to the nation’s 45 million uninsured—of which a large percentage is employed—has gotten hot.
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HUMANA MEDICARE PLANS IN GA, NC, SC OPEN UP ACCESS
Humana Inc. (Louisville, KY) has announced that members of the company’s Medicare Advantage Gold Choice Private Fee for Service plan will have the freedom to see any provider statewide without a referral who accepts Medicare payments and Humana’s terms and conditions.
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HEALTHCARE SPENDING UP 7.7% IN 2003
U.S. healthcare expenditures rose 7.7% to $1.679 billion in 2003, according to newly released data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
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SIERRA RAISES ’05 EARNINGS OUTLOOK
Sierra Health Services (Las Vegas, NV) increased its 2005 earnings outlook to $3.20 to $3.30 per share ($108.9 million to $112.3 million based on 34 million diluted shares), up from a prior expectation of $3.15 to $3.25 per share.
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COVENTRY TAPS CREASY SVP; COMPLETES FHGC DEAL
Coventry Health Care (Bethesda, MD) said it has named E. Harry “Skip” Creasy senior vice president of new market development, including markets added through the just completed acquisition of First Health Group Corp. (Downers Grove, IL) for $1.8 billion in cash and stock.
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