ER doc is affable WellPoint activist
Dr. Rob Stone wants the giant health insurer to convert to not-for-profit status and put him, an advocate of national health
insurance, on the company’s board.
Insurance
Articles
Buffett bails on WellPoint
Influential investor sold off all 1.3 million shares in the Indianapolis-based health insurer during the first quarter.
WellPoint meeting ends abruptly as Bush collapses
Board member William “Bucky” Bush, uncle of former President George W. Bush, appeared OK after a shortened meeting in which
shareholders approved
a “say-on-pay” proposal. Protesters gathered outside WellPoint’s headquarters after the meeting.
Sebelius sees insurers as health reform partners
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said having insurers as "good partners" is part of health
care reform, but she made no promises Friday to tone down criticism of an industry the Obama administration has attacked repeatedly.
Renamed Conseco OK with less-flashy future
CNO Financial Group Inc., known as Conseco Inc. until May 11, has become almost the polar opposite of what it was under flashy co-founder
Steve Hilbert. Instead of high-octane growth driven by merger deals, CNO Financial has returned to profitability
by selling low-dollar products and emphasizing low-cost operations.
Shareholders overwhelmingly OK Conseco name change
Carmel-based life and health insurer is now CNO Financial Group Inc. to reflect what company officers call a “transformation”
of the once-troubled firm.
Report: WellPoint, Aetna may need relief from cost mandate
The U.S. health overhaul’s mandate that insurers spend 80 percent of premiums on medical care may
need to be loosened
to keep companies from quitting the market for people who buy coverage on their own, state regulators said.
WellPoint, others may need relief from law’s spending mandate
The health law passed by Congress in March will force insurers like WellPoint to give rebates to customers next year if the
companies don’t meet the medical-spending minimums.
Braly, Obama spar again over WellPoint cancellation policies
CEO of Indianapolis-based health insurer wrote to Obama on Sunday to rebut the president’s criticism that WellPoint seeks
out breast cancer patients to cancel their policies.
TAYLOR: Reform will drive demand for health care facilities
There has been a noticeable uptick in the level of health care real estate development activity this year.
Sebelius warns states to check WellPoint hikes
The Obama administration has asked state regulators to double-check premium hikes from Indianapolis-based health insurer WellPoint
Inc. after an audit found problems with proposed California increases.
Conseco profit edges analyst expectations
The Carmel-based life and health insurer earned $33.9 million in the quarter, more than 38 percent higher than during the
same quarter a year earlier. Nearly all of that increase, however, was due to lower losses on investments and debt modifications.
Anthem Blue Cross withdraws big California rate hike
Anthem Blue Cross withdrew plans to raise health insurance rates for Californians by as much as 39 percent after an independent
audit determined the company’s justification for raising premiums was based on flawed data.
Earthquake shakes Baldwin’s first-quarter profit
The February earthquake in Chile sent first-quarter profit tumbling 90 percent at Indianapolis-based property and casualty
insurer Baldwin & Lyons Inc.
WellPoint profits rise, beat analysts’ expectations
The Indianapolis-based health insurer was helped in first quarter by a mild flu season, but it now expects to lose nearly
700,000 customers by year end.
WellPoint to adhere to new rescission rules early
The Indianapolis-based health insurer announced Tuesday afternoon it will be the first company to adopt stricter standards
on canceling
policies, which are contained in the health reform bill passed in March.
Q&A
Dr. Stanley Adkins is chief medical officer of Indianapolis-based AmeriVeriCR, a startup that uses software to review medical
claims for errors. With health care reform and a new, larger set of
diagnosis codes phasing in over the next few years, AmeriVeri is betting that demand for its service will increase.
WellPoint gets lashing from Sebelius, again
Indianapolis-based health insurer trades jabs with U.S. health secretary after Reuters story claims insurer deliberately cancels
coverage for breast cancer patients.
Medicare Advantage may survive cuts under health reform
The two largest U.S. health insurance companies, UnitedHealth, based in Minnetonka, Minn., and WellPoint Inc., based in Indianapolis,
sell Advantage plans.
Anthem Blue Cross postponing rate hike again
In January, Anthem Blue Cross notified many individual policyholders that their rates would rise as much as 39 percent March
1. After a public outcry, the company announced a two-month delay. Now that is on hold, too.