The battle for the big contracts, government and private industry continues. Both UnitedHealthCare and Aetna stand to gain. United will get to keep 1.5 billion and I’m sure the Aetna portion is also pretty sizable. Humana and Health Net are the previous contract holders and loser in this round of bids for business. In other related news this week, United is spending millions of dollars with Cisco for a telehealth network. Do these folks still process and pay claims?
Update Cisco Lays Off Hundreds - UnitedHealth To Spend Tens of Million of Dollars with Cisco to Build Nationwide Telehealth Network –
Not too long ago United had this to say:
United Health Care Says Cheaper Efficient Doctors and Reducing Hospital Visits by the Elderly Would Help Reduce the Cost of Healthcare
Aetna locked up an agreement with Bank of America:
Here Come the Health Coaches - Aetna Locks Contract with Bank of America for Health Insurance for 3 Years – Cigna Lines Up 3 Major Employers
In Blue Cross news we heard this:
“In God we trust; all others must bring data” – Blue Cross Blue Shield Invests in more Business Intelligence Software
It appears to be a “big three” type of emergence happening here here with the race to be the king of risk management. Again, as mentioned before, the one word that seems to be missing in all these press releases and posts is the word “physician”. UnitedHealthCare has been the target of many states suing them over the balance billing situation with Ingenix of late and Senator Rockefeller recent asked the CEO “How Do You Sleep at Night”. BD
The Minnetonka-based health insurer announced late Monday it has landed a multibillion-dollar contract from the Defense Department to manage health benefits for military members, veterans and their dependents in the southern part the country.
The five-year contract covers about 3 million beneficiaries of TRICARE, the Defense Department’s military health program. It begins April 1, 2010, with the transition period beginning immediately.
The remaining $1.5 billion will go to UnitedHealth for processing claims, managing provider networks and for other forms of customer service. This is the first year that UnitedHealth has bid for the TRICARE contract. It beat the incumbent, Humana Inc., for the southern region.
The northern region contract went to Aetna Inc., which beat incumbent Health Net Inc. For the western region, TriWest Healthcare Alliance in Phoenix got its contract renewed.
UnitedHealth lands $21.8B military health care contract
Hat Tip: HisTalk
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It is a shame that some Americans are so gullible, to the outlandish propaganda and lies spat in the newspapers, television and radio about Obama’s health care agenda. They have demonized the British, Canadian and other worthy plans. Hidden under a disguise cover, these radical entities are determined to keep the special interest organizations in absolute power. Comprising of the money-draining profitable insurance companies and their rich stockholders. They don't want any changes to the broken system of medical care, because it will hurt the status quo. I was born in England, in the county of Sussex and until the inception of the European Union and the European Parliament dictating to Britain. That they must accept millions of foreign workers, the nations medical system was exemplary. I never had to wonder if I would have to file bankruptcy, to pay my medical bills, or listen to the incessant ring of debt collectors on the phone.
ReplyDeleteOn several occasions I ended up in the cottage hospital and their was never a cost applied to it, never a ream of paperwork. Incidentally, I choose my own doctor where I Lived. The longest I waited for surgery was three months, as it was not an emergency. No doctor, no hospital or specialist asking me for my Social Security number, drivers license or if I was covered by a predatory for-profit insurer. No premiums, no-cops and pre-existing condition clauses. Yes! Didn't have a private room, but who cares? Today the British Isles is being submerged under a barrage of legal and illegal immigrants, who have never paid into the system, have caused some rationing. Prior to the importation of foreign labor my trips to doctor, to hospital, the eye or a dentist was paid from my taxation. Unless we pass a national health care agenda, Americans will never know what it's like to breeze through their lives, without worrying about paying for health care? Tell your Senators and Congressman you want an alternative to the--GET RICH-- insurance companies, before a Universal health care is killed. 202-224-312 REMEMBER THE INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS DON'T WANT THEIR PIECE OF THE $$$TRILLION$$$ DOLLAR PIE DISTURBED. EVEN SOME POLITICIANS HAVE THEIR DIRTY FINGERS IN THE PIE?
AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE PRIVATE HEALTH CARE, A GOVERNMENT SINGLE PAYER SYSTEM WILL ASSIST IN REVITALIZING THE WILTING US ECONOMY.