UNH Acquires XL Health; Ups Outlook
UnitedHealthcare, a division of UnitedHealth Group ( UNH ), announced the completion of the acquisition of privately-held XLHealth Corp, a sponsor of Medicare Advantage health plans for recipients with special needs. The deal was announced in November 2011 and closed well ahead of schedule. UnitedHealth managed to inch ahead in the face of stiff competition from its peers, Aetna Inc. ( AET ) and WellPoint Inc. ( WLP ).
XL served 113,000 Medicare Advantage (“MA”) members in Arkansas, Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, South Carolina and Texas, and has expanded to Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, New Mexico, New York and Wisconsin.
XL Health has been a particularly attractive pursuit for insurers owing to its expertise in serving Special Needs Plans (“SNPs”), which includes members with chronic illnesses and dual-eligibles (people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid). The SNPs is the most profitable segment of the Medicare Advantage program. Medicare Advantage is a privately run version of the government's Medicare insurance program for the aged and the disabled.
With an increase in the baby boomers population, health insurers see expanding opportunities in this area over the next few years. In fact, in the next 25 years, compounded annual growth rate of the Medicare population is expected to increase to 2.7% from 1.5% at present.
Managed care is expected to get a lot more attention as the federal and state governments try to reduce $1.2 trillion from the federal deficit over the next decade. Major cuts to the Medicare program, whenever it happens, will necessitate a shift in some of the costs to the seniors, making their Medicare Advantage plans more attractive than traditional Medicare plans. Moreover, many individuals would look forward to supplementing government coverage with private insurance, boosting demand for Medicare Advantage plans.
Maryland State Health Insurance - News
A proposed tax could make it difficult for half of medical day-care providers in the state to turn a profit, according to an industry group. LifeSpan Network, working with the Maryland Association of Adult Day Services, warns that the tax could have a
America's Health Insurance Plans (“AHIP”), the insurers' trade group, estimates that if all the duals were put into the best managed-care plans, state and federal governments could save as much as $125 billion during the next decade.
It is a tiered health care system, encouraging the population to seek care at village and county clinics. This national health insurance program provided some support for the rural cataract and diabetic retinopathy programs. Second, in 2010, the State
"These programs will expand access to affordable, high-quality health care services for underserved and special populations in our state." The mission of the CHRC is to expand capacity in Maryland's health care infrastructure by awarding grants to
The Maryland Community Health Resources Commission is awarding $1.1 million to improve access to medical and dental care statewide. Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown announced the 15 awards Wednesday. Baltimore city tops the list, with three grants totaling
State Roundup: Iowa Ponders HPV Awareness Program; Md ...
Iowa's health department would launch a $250,000 public awareness program about the human papillomavirus vaccine under a bill approved today by a Senate subcommittee. ... Senate Study Bill 3097 would allocate $250,000 for the program, which includes vaccinations for low-income women between the ages 19 and 26 who have no other health coverage. The bill was approved today by a Senate Human Resources subcommittee and now heads to the full committee for further consideration (Clayworth, 2/9).
The Baltimore Sun : State Workers To Get New Pharmacy Plan More than 200,000 Maryland state employees, retirees and dependents will switch to a new pharmacy plan as a result of the Board of Public Works' decision Wednesday to award the $2.4 billion contract to a St. Louis-based company. When the transition take place in May, plan members will no longer be able to fill prescriptions at one of Maryland's 58 Walgreens stores. The chain is not part of the network operated by the new provider, Express Scripts Inc. (Dresser, 2/8).
MSNBC/Associated Press : Md. Awards $1.1 Million For Community Health Care The Maryland Community Health Resources Commission is awarding $1.1 million to improve access to medical and dental care statewide. Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown announced the 15 awards Wednesday. Baltimore city tops the list, with three grants totaling $183,000. The largest is $109,000 to Catholic Charities' Esperanza Center. The center provides services to new immigrants. The biggest single grant of $140,000 is to the Community Clinic Inc. in Montgomery County. It serves people who are uninsured or under-insured (2/9).
WBUR : Report: Health Care Changes Saving Money For Cities A report suggests that Massachusetts cities and towns are on track to exceed the estimated $100 million in statewide savings during the first year of new municipal health care rules. ... The law gives municipalities more flexibility to make changes to public employee health insurance outside of the collective bargaining process (2/8).
Within the state of Maryland, there are several different insurance companies that onemay opt for their business... 
Within the state of Maryland, there are several different insurance companies that onemay opt for their business... 
Within the state of Maryland, there are several different insurance companies that onemay opt for their business... 
The state of Maryland mandates that all insurance plans cover in-vitro fertilization.