Articles

California OKs Anthem rate hike after controversy

The California Department of Insurance said Wednesday it approved a rate increase averaging about 14 percent for Anthem Blue
Cross customers. The department also OK’d a nearly 19-percent increase for Blue Shield of California.

Read More

WellPoint, peers focus on health reform rules, campaign

WellPoint Inc., UnitedHealth Group Inc. and three other health insurers, criticized by Democrats during the health care reform
debate, are seeking to influence how the new law will be implemented, and possibly change it, by campaigning for supportive
congressional candidates.

Read More

Hospitals map out ways to bypass insurers

Clarian Health is launching its own health insurance plan, the boldest of several initiatives at Indianapolis hospitals to
bypass health insurers and provide health benefits directly to employers.

Read More

Health reform rule could cost WellPoint

WellPoint Inc. has about $800 million riding on one arcane rule: how to calculate a medical loss ratio. The ratio quantifies
the percentage of customers’ premiums were spent on medical care, rather than overhead or profits.

Read More

Connecticut to probe WellPoint security breach

Attorney general seeks more details on the breach, which may have compromised financial and health information on almost 500,000
people. He also calls on the Indianapolis-based insurer to provide affected customers with credit monitoring and theft protection
services.

Read More

Braly’s political skirmishes hurting insurer, critics say

When WellPoint Inc. named Angela Braly its CEO three years ago, it touted her experience dealing with politicians and government
regulators. But WellPoint is now the poster child for health insurer bad behavior—credited in Washington with reviving a
dead health reform bill the company opposed.

Read More

Effective stats are new hurdle for U.S. drugmakers

WellPoint Inc.'s announcement of comparative effectiveness research guidelines last week marks a new era for U.S. drugmakers.
The Indianapolis-based health insurer will use studies that compare the effectiveness of one drug against another as a complement
to typical clinical trial research that compares a drug against a placebo sugar pill.

Read More