Insight, analysis & opinion from Joe Paduda
Timing is everything; Coventry’s fourth quarter financials release came on the heels of the Concentra acquisition announcement, allowing the observer to compare results to prognostications.
Read More...The increasing consolidation in the health insurance market is beginning to run up against the same situation among health care providers, creating the market condition known as a bilateral oligopoly (few sellers and few buyers). This appears to be happening … Continue reading Bilateral Oligopolies
Read More...One health insurer has at least 30% market share in virtually all of the nation’s major markets. This finding, published in the AMA’s “Competition in Health Insurance; A comprehensive study of US markets”, indicates that the market’s consolidation has resulted … Continue reading Market power in managed care – the health plans are winning
Read More...The proposed merger between United HealthGroup and Pacificare is running into objections from consumer groups and other advocacy organizations in several states. Most recently, the AMA’s Colorado branch protested the bonuses and other financial rewards that would accrue to Pacificare … Continue reading AMA’s protest of UHG-Pacificare merger
Read More...The mergers among health plans continued yesterday, with New York’s GHI and HIP announcing their intention to join forces to create the state’s largest single health plan. With four million members and $7 billion in revenues, the not-for-profits would dominate … Continue reading GHI-HIP merger in NY
Read More...Wellpoint is continuing to consolidate its hold on the nation’s Blues plans with its recent announcement regarding the pending deal to acquire Wellchoice, the holding company that owns New York’s Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield. The transaction is valued … Continue reading Wellpoint’s acquisition of Empire Blue Cross
Read More...Concentra will acquire Beech Street for $165 million. The announcement indicates that the deal will be finalized this year, and a definitive agreement has been signed by both parties. Beech’s senior management, led by Bill Hale, will be continuing in … Continue reading Concentra to acquire Beech Street
Read More...Although health plan profits were up substantially in the first 9 months of 2004, only five companies were responsible for over half of those profits. Weiss Ratings’ (along with Fitch, my favorite rating firm) analysis excluded Kaiser, which had gains … Continue reading HMO profits up 33%
Read More...While AIG is publicly wrestling with the big issues of what to do about ex-Chair Hank Greenberg, questionable financial transactions, and its plummeting stock price, it also has a few managed care and claims functions that need to be addressed. … Continue reading AIG’s other challenges
Read More...Here are the top trends in health care as I see them, using the actuarial method of looking back over my shoulder to see what happened, and thereby predicting the future with confidence. 1. More consolidation amongst health insurers. Many … Continue reading Top Trends in the health insurance markets
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