Contributer: Sheri Sellmeyer
Topic: UnitedHealthcare, exchanges

UnitedHealthcare looked as if it had missed the boat last year when it chose to play in just a handful of states in the healthcare exchanges. But what a difference a year and some competitive pricing makes: Its exchange enrollment has grown by more than 2,700 percent -- to 570,000 -- now that it has a presence in almost half of the states’ health insurance marketplaces for individuals. Read more.

Contributor: Sheri Sellmeyer
Topics: ACA, Aetna, Anthem, BCBS of North Carolina, Centene, exchanges, PreferredOne, UnitedHealth Group

Now that the dust has settled on year two of open enrollment for the health insurance exchanges, it’s a good time to bust a few myths about the program. Read more.

Contributor: Sarah Wilson
Topic: ACA, “health plans”, MLR, “narrow networks”, ACOs, exchanges

The healthcare industry continues to become more consolidated, especially as health systems and hospitals form larger, more integrated health systems through mergers and acquisitions. While the Affordable Care Act has encouraged this trend, the Federal Trade Commission has put the brakes on consolidation plans, particularly deals that threaten prices and competition. Read more.

Contributor: Paula Wade
Topics: ACA, “health plans”, MLR, “narrow networks”, ACOs, exchanges

The Affordable Care Act of 2010 has done much more than extending healthcare coverage to millions of Americans – its market reforms have re-defined what health insurance is (and isn’t) for individuals and small groups. Read more.

Contributor: Carolyn McMeekin
Topics: ACA, healthcare reform, Medicaid, ACO, exchanges

Five years ago, DRG analysts gathered in a conference room and watched as healthcare reform in the United States became a reality.

Read more.

Contributor: Mark Cherry
Topics: Highmark, Blue plans, M&A, BCBS of Minnesota, Florida Blue

Opponents of Obamacare were delivered fresh fodder when Florida Blue announced plans to raise 2015 exchange premiums by 17.6 percent. But instead of being a direct result of the Affordable Care Act, the Blue plan’s increase may have been caused by one of several efforts by the state legislature to undermine the law. Read more.

Contributor: Paula Wade
Topic: UnitedHealth Group, exchanges, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Nevada, Texas

The nation’s largest private insurer, UnitedHealth Group, is jumping into the public insurance exchange market in 2015—heightening competition in at least 15 states in which it plans to compete for individual business.

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Contributor: Mark Cherry
Topics: Florida Blue, exchanges, MLR, rebates, premium increases, Florida

Opponents of Obamacare were delivered fresh fodder when Florida Blue announced plans to raise 2015 exchange premiums by 17.6 percent. But instead of being a direct result of the Affordable Care Act, the Blue plan’s increase may have been caused by one of several efforts by the state legislature to undermine the law. Read more.

Contributer: Sheri Sellmeyer
Topics: Exchanges, uninsured, Medicaid

The latest data on healthcare exchange enrollment underscore a troublesome fact for Republicans: These online marketplaces are quite popular in some very red states.
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Contributer: Sheri Sellmeyer
Topics: Exchanges, WellPoint, Humana UnitedHealthcare, Blue Cross Blue Shield

Enrollment in the new health exchanges has exceeded the expectations of supporters and disproven predictions of naysayers, but how many have actually paid their premiums, and which health plans are getting the lion’s share of those enrollees?
Read more.