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Unum Well-Positioned To Expand, CEO Tells Shareholders

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At the annual meeting of shareholders today, Unum Group President and CEO Richard P. McKenney addressed the company’ s strong performance, customer focus, and the growing need for the financial protection Unum provides. In 2017, Unum had record revenues of $11.3 billion and paid nearly $7 billion in benefits. Also at today’ s meeting, among other voting items, Unum…

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Eighty seven percent of workers whose employer enables them to manage life in and outside of work are more loyal and satisfied, according to a MetLife survey that found workers want to be treated like whole people.

Health insurers must guide consumers to the most cost-effective health measures and medical treatments as seamlessly as Amazon Prime serves up suggestions for bedspreads to match the sheets you just bought.

Voya Financial will save up to $130 million in annual expenses after the company sells its annuity business, chairman and…

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The Center on Budget& Policy Priorities issued the following news release:. Hospitals’ and other providers’ uncompensated care costs have fallen significantly since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act’s major coverage provisions. But approved and proposed Medicaid waivers that would take Medicaid away from people not working or engaged in work…

NYC Health+ Hospitals is pursuing arbitration to recover $11.5 million in wrongfully denied bills submitted to United Healthcare, the public health system announced today. Covering July 1, 2014, to December 31, 2017, the bills reflect care provided to United Healthcare beneficiaries in the inpatient settings of NYC Health+ Hospitals. “For too long, NYC Health+…

Anthem, Inc. today announced that the company has entered into an agreement to acquire Aspire Health, the nation’ s largest non-hospice, community-based palliative care provider. With the addition of Aspire Health to Anthem’ s other clinical care assets such as CareMore Health and AIM, we will be able to offer our consumers, customers, and other health plan and…
A survey says more Americans are holding on to their health insurance.

Americans kept up their health insurance last year despite President Donald Trump’s all-out push to dismantle the Affordable Care Act’s expansion of coverage. That’s the counterintuitive conclusion from a major government survey.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont, the state’ s biggest insurer, wants an average 5.3 percent hike for plans offered to individuals, families and small businesses. The state’ s other insurer, MVP Health Care, is asking for an average 6.4 percent increase for those same types of plans. Blue Cross and Blue Shield’ s hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. on July 23 in Room 11 of…

House Republican leaders declared victory in a long-running dispute with the executive branch, noting a new settlement preserves a judge’s ruling that President Barack Obama reimbursed insurers unlawfully under the Affordable Care Act.

Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued the following news release:. Today, the Centers for Medicare& Medicaid Services released a redesigned version of the Drug Spending Dashboards. “Under President Trump’s bold leadership, CMS is committed to putting patients first and increasing transparency,” said CMS…

May 15– Medica’s status as the last health plan selling coverage on government-run insurance exchanges for Iowa and Nebraska helped the insurer double its individual market enrollment for 2018.. In the market where self-employed people under age 65 buy coverage, Medica saw enrollment grow to 196,479 people as of March across Minnesota and five other states…

The drop is greatest in states like Alabama that never expanded Medicaid as part of the ACA– a drop some area hospital and clinic operators say they’ve seen this year. “It’s been going on at least a year,” said Wayne Rowe, CEO of Quality of Life Health Services, which manages health clinics that provide primary care to the poor in Calhoun and 12 other counties.
Workers want employers who know they have a life outside work.
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Eighty seven percent of workers whose employer enables them to manage life in and outside of work are more loyal and satisfied, according to a MetLife survey that found workers want to be treated like whole people.

“The fact that the number of diagnoses has gone up is important because now we are looking for it, we are screening for it, and people are getting treatment to help them,” said Ginny Calega, vice president for medical management and policy at Independence Blue Cross, Southeastern Pennsylvania’s largest health insurance organization. “The increase in depression…
It is no secret that employees are bearing more costs for hospitalizations.

As workers struggle with ever-increasing deductibles and co-pays for hospitalization, employers can help with a benefit that steps in if an employee needs it. The Unum plan would offer 10 levels of fixed cash benefits ranging between $500 and $5,000 per person per calendar year.
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Health insurers must guide consumers to the most cost-effective health measures and medical treatments as seamlessly as Amazon Prime serves up suggestions for bedspreads to match the sheets you just bought.

Although the GOP repeal-and-replace mantra seems to have quieted, some Republican lawmakers continue efforts to get around the sweeping federal health law’s requirements. It calls for $65 million in loans and grants administered by the Department of Agriculture to help organizations establish agricultural-related policies modeled on “association…

Senate Health Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander said legislative efforts to stabilize the markets this year are dead and that it’s up to states and the Trump administration to provide relief from rising insurance rates.

Maryland health insurers on Monday requested rate hikes on Obamacare plans averaging 30 percent, signaling consumers could be in for another round of sticker shock next year. CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield is seeking a 18.5 percent increase on the HMO plan that covers the lion’s share of its members, and a whopping 91 percent increase for one of its PPO plans.

One July evening a few years ago, Carol Harnett was in a crosswalk in downtown Portland, Ore., when a driver made an illegal turn and hit her. Transported by ambulance to a hospital, Harnett, who is president of the nonprofit Council for Disability Awareness, was diagnosed with a severely sprained right ankle and left wrist, as well as a concussion.
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Voya Financial will save up to $130 million in annual expenses after the company sells its annuity business, chairman and…

A 10- year review of disability claims shows the effects of an aging workforce, medical advances and the power of early intervention, according to data from Unum, a leading provider of disability benefits. Unum tracks reasons behind workplace absence in its disability data and shares results each May during Disability Insurance Awareness Month.

Cigna Corporation today reported strong first quarter 2018 results, continuing the company’ s consistent track record of driving attractive revenue and earnings growth through its differentiated portfolio of businesses. Cigna’s adjusted income from operations 2 for the first quarter of 2018 was $1.0 billion, or $4.11 per share, compared with $719 million,…

May 02– This story was updated May 2, 2018, at 10:24 p.m. with more information. The Chattanooga- based disability insurer, which had record profits in 2017, said its net income in the first three months of 2018 rose by 23 percent from a year ago to $273.5 million, or $1.23 per share. Such concerns were heightened after General Electric Co. took a $6.2 billion…

More changes are being made in Genworth Financial Inc.’ s long-delayed plan to be acquired by the China- based investment firm China Oceanwide Holdings Group Co. Ltd.. Henrico County- based Genworth, an insurance company with thousands of employees in Virginia, said Wednesday that the two companies are developing a new capital structure for the deal, after…

These days, the battleground over the law’s fate has shifted, at least temporarily, from Congress to the states. Nineteen Republican attorneys general, plus Maine Governor Paul LePage, also a Republican, contend that Congress opened the door for their lawsuit when it repealed the penalty that most Americans have to pay if they don’t enroll in a health insurance…

Humana Inc. today reported consolidated pretax income and diluted earnings per common share for the quarter ended March 31, 2018 versus the quarter ended March 31, 2017 as follows:. “We’ re pleased that we continue to consistently deliver strong financial results, while advancing our health and consumer-focused strategy,” said Bruce D. Broussard, Humana’ s…

May 01– This story was updated May 1, 2018, at 11:18 p.m. with more information. $273.5 million, or $1.23 per diluted common share, for the first quarter compared to $229.9 million, or $1 per diluted common share, a year ago, the company reported after the close of the stock market. The Unum U.S. operating segment reported adjusted operating income of $243.9 million in…

Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital staff gather in the emergency room area in Elko on Tuesday, April 3, 2018. The head of Nevada’s health insurance exchange is “deeply concerned” about a proposed federal rule change that would extend the length of short-term health plans, saying in a Friday letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that the…

The odd man out is Indianapolis- based Anthem Inc., which is the Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in 14 states and the nation’s second-largest health insurer. So Anthem might find itself rewarded if its board remains levelheaded and avoids the temptation to negotiate its own megadeal. The antitrust rulings derailed Anthem Inc.’ s $54 billion acquisition of…

Aetna announced first-quarter 2018 net income of $1.2 billion, or $3.67 per share. “Our core businesses performed well in the quarter, generating strong earnings per share growth and delivering significant value to our members, clients and shareholders,” said Mark T. Bertolini, Aetna chairman and CEO.“ Our Medicare growth strategy remains on track as we grew to…

Today, global health service company Cigna released results from a national survey exploring the impact of loneliness in the United States. The UCLA Loneliness Scale is a frequently referenced and acknowledged academic measure used to gauge loneliness. The survey of more than 20,000 U.S. adults ages 18 years and older revealed some alarming findings:.
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As part of your strategy for Disability Insurance Awareness Month this year, consider how you can connect with women about making their income protection needs a priority. Here are a few ways you can bring up the need for IDI with them.

–ManhattanLife Assurance Company of America has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Workplace Voluntary Benefits and Financial Protection Plan lines of business from Humana Inc. These lines of business are primarily held under Humana’s wholly-owned subsidiary Kanawha Insurance Company Inc.. As Humana previously announced, the Company has…
Health care costs can threaten even the best retirement plans. Workers in a new survey say they look to advisors for help.

Workers want advisors to help them plan for rising health care costs and long-term care needs, a new survey found. Many workers give their own advisor high marks for planning.
Many retirees want to know more about annuities. Experts say they need to, as the first generation lacking pensions advances toward retirement.

Employees are interested in annuities and might need that guaranteed source of income as the first wave of workers lacking company pensions moves closer to retirement. A new survey reveals shifting attitudes.
Data from the American Association of Long Term Care Insurance shows where claims originate is changing.
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Long-term care insurance claims originating from people in assisted living facilities is on the rise, according to new data.

Louisiana’s health insurance market for individuals has been plagued in recent years by insurers fleeing the market and double-digit rate increases- prompting a proposed fix that would tack a fee on policies across the state to create a safety net against insurers’ losses and hold the line on runaway premiums. The state Department of Insurance is pushing a…

The profit in 2017 in the market comes after three years of losses for Blue Cross totaling $200 million, along with double-digit premium increases for policyholders, as the market saw other insurers continually pull out. Only Blue Cross, with two companies; Vantage Health Plan; and a firm with two policyholders remain in the individual market, and Vantage said it…

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation issued the following news release:. The analysis examines 24 distinct short-term insurance products currently marketed in 45 states and the District of Columbia through eHealth or Agile Health Insurance. In seven states- Alaska, California, Hawaii, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico and Utah- none of the available short-term…

Health insurers, patient groups and Senate Democrats implored the Trump administration to curb or cancel its push to let Americans get around the Affordable Care Act’s requirements by using cheaper, short-term health plans for a full year, saying the plan would destabilize the insurance markets and increase the number of uninsured.

At 23, Erin Keith didn’ t know if she wanted children, but she knew she wanted a choice. So before embarking upon months of chemotherapy to treat Hodgkin lymphoma— treatments that could leave her sterile— the New Lenox, Ill., woman had her eggs frozen. “I should be celebrating right now that I did my last treatment for chemotherapy, but right now I’ m thinking am I going to owe…

The Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate requiring all Americans to have health coverage is about to disappear next year. But New Jersey is poised to slap it back on its residents.

Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Jeff Merkley of Oregon said the Choose Medicare Act is a good way to help individuals and businesses who’ve been left behind by the Democrats’ own health law or employer-based markets. Obamacare customers who qualify for subsidies could apply them to the Medicare alternative, offering the type of “public option” that Democrats…

April 19– Improvement in the state’s troubled market where individuals buy health insurance boosted financial results last year at HealthPartners as the Bloomington- based health system continued to generate most of its net income from hospitals and clinics. In 2017, HealthPartners posted net income of $175.5 million, an increase of roughly 75 percent…

The Joint Interim Task Force on Health Care Cost Review will hear testimony at its meeting on Friday, April 20, from health care officials in Vermont, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. “Consumers are feeling the pinch of rising health care costs,” according to a 2016 publication from the National Academy for State Health Policy, one of the materials for Friday’ s…

An estimated 5 million Americans are illegally using prescription stimulants, with the majority seeking to boost their concentration and mental stamina over extended periods of time, according to new research shedding light on amphetamine use among adults.

April 16– Monty Grow was raised in the sleepy town of Inverness, went to college up the road at the University of Florida and starred on an SEC championship football team. But his mistake– a colossal one– was setting up a marketing company to recruit and refer members of the U.S. military and their families to a South Florida pharmacy. While hammering Grow, the judge…

Second Sight Medical Products, Inc., a developer, manufacturer and marketer of implantable visual prosthetics that are intended to create an artificial form of useful vision to blind patients, today announced that Dr. Robert Greenberg, MD, PhD has resigned from the Company’ s Board of Directors and the Company, effective April 3, 2018. Robert Greenberg has served…

“As the leading healthcare workforce provider, we understand the growing need for healthcare facilities to optimize revenue to provide a more effective, quality patient care experience,” said Susan Salka, President and Chief Executive Officer of AMN Healthcare. The combination of Peak Health Solutions and MedPartners positions AMN Healthcare as the…

April 05– Tennessee’s biggest health insurer plans to use a portion of its savings from the new federal tax law to enhance its consumer tools for selecting doctors and hospitals this year and will share the rest of its savings in its premium rates next year. But with medical costs still rising, the tax savings will likely offset only a slight portion of next year’s…

Iowa is moving ahead with “health benefit plans” that have fewer benefits; that reject some people with pre-existing medical conditions; and that cost less than health insurance that meets the standards of the Affordable Care Act. Rob Robertson, chief administrator for the Nebraska Farm Bureau, said the group is watching the Iowa plan and considering “all kinds…