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Managed Care Companies
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WELLCHOICE WAITS STATE APPROVAL FOR HSAs, HRAs
WellChoice (New York), parent company of Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, will begin offering high-deductible health plans coupled with both HSAs and HRAs effective January 2005, pending state regulatory approval.
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BCBS-MI BEGINS SELLING 5 HSA-COMPATIBLE HDHPs
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (Detroit) has begun selling five HSA-compatible high-deductible health plans, with coverage effective Jan. 1, 2005, as part of the rollout of a variety of hybrid PPO and HMO offerings.
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EXCELLUS FINDS EMPLOYERS LIKELY TO OFFER HSAs
A survey sponsored by Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield (Rochester, NY), which will offer HSAs effective January 2005, found that employers representing 36% of the upstate New York workforce are somewhat or very likely to offer a consumer-directed health plan within the next two years.
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AMSG ADDS HDHPs FOR SMALL GROUPS
American Medical Security Group (Green Bay, WI), which is being acquired by PacifiCare Health Systems, has begun offering HSA-compatible high-deductible health plans to small groups.
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BLUE CROSS-CA TARGETS 50,000 HSA LIVES IN 2005
WellPoint’s Blue Cross of California (Thousand Oaks, CA), which rolled out HSA-compatible high-deductible health plans last month, expects to have 50,000 subscribers by the end of 2005, according to Greg Baird, senior vice president, large group sales.
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BCBS-AZ TAPS HSA BANK AS TRUSTEE
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (Phoenix) will recommend that members use HSA Bank (Howards Grove, WI) to act as trustee for health savings accounts tied to high-deductible health plans.
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HUMANA PICKS J.P. MORGAN AS HSA TRUSTEE
Humana Inc. (Louisville, KY) will recommend J.P. Morgan Chase (New York) as its preferred HSA trustee for both individuals and groups enrolled in the company’s HumanaOne high-deductible health plans, the company announced.
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KAISER TAPS WELLS FARGO FOR HSA-COMPATIBLE HDHPs
Kaiser Permanente (Oakland, CA) announced it will use Wells Fargo Bank as its HSA trustee for a new line of high-deductible health plans, initially available in Colorado, Georgia and the northwest effective January 2005. Wells Fargo will provide Kaiser’s members with a debit card, customer service, and a variety of money market and mutual fund investment options.
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BCBS PLANS OFFER HSA-COMPATIBLE HDHPs IN 38 STATES
The nation’s 41 Blue Cross Blue Shield plans currently offer HSA-compatible, high-deductible health plans in 38 states, according to the BCBS Assn. (Chicago). By 2006, BCBS are expected to offer HSA-compatible health plans nationwide. The products are being offered to individuals in 32 states and to groups in 34 states each.
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UNITEDHEALTH TO BUY DEFINITY FOR $300 MILLION
UnitedHealth Group (Minnetonka, MN) continues to build its portfolio of consumer-directed health care capabilities, announcing an agreement to acquire Definity Health Corp. (Minneapolis) for $300 million in cash.
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BCBS-LA HAS 53,000 HSA LIVES
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana (Baton Rouge, LA) had 53,000 individuals enrolled in its BlueSaver HSA-compatible high-deductible health plan, according to John Maginnis, vice president of marketing.
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