Aetna said lower costs, higher premiums boosted profit

Published April 30, 2013 - 9:45am CST

(Reuters) — Aetna Inc. on Tuesday reported a first-quarter profit that beat analyst expectations as customers used medical services lightly and revenue in the health insurer's Medicare and Medicaid businesses rose 7% due to higher premiums.

Mercer benefits insurance exchange adds insurers

By: Jerry Geisel

Published April 25, 2013 - 11:45am CST

Several major providers of dental, vision, life, disability and other types of benefit coverage are joining a private exchange that Mercer L.L.C. is launching.

Mercer announces health insurers to join exchange

By: Jerry Geisel

Published April 15, 2013 - 2:13pm CST

Major health insurers that include Aetna Inc., Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Cigna Corp. and UnitedHealthcare Inc. will provide coverage in a private health insurance exchange that Mercer L.L.C. is launching.

Studies show CDHPs control medical costs better than HMOs, PPOs

By: Matt Dunning

Published February 22, 2013 - 10:29am CST

Studies conducted by two of the largest U.S.-based health insurers indicate that employers sponsoring consumer-directed health plans have been substantially more successful in controlling costs than traditional HMO and PPO plans.

Aetna teams with Broadspire, ESIS, Gallagher Bassett to integrate claims filing

By: Roberto Ceniceros

Published October 08, 2012 - 1:38pm CST

Aetna Inc. announced Monday that it has teamed up with three workers compensation third-party administrators to integrate the filing of non-occupation disability and workers comp claims.

Aetna to pay $1.5M in penalties for Mo. health insurance law violations

By: Matt Dunning

Published September 28, 2012 - 11:48am CST

Aetna Inc. will pay more than $1.5 million in penalties for violating Missouri health insurance laws, including provisions restricting coverage for elective abortions and requiring insurers to notify customers of their right to refuse contraception coverage on religious grounds.

Aetna's Coventry integration

Published August 23, 2012 - 4:55pm CST

By now it's practically old news that Aetna purchased Coventry Health Care, which is widely recognized in the workers compensation industry for providing managed care services.

Aurora Health Care, Aetna team up to offer commercial coverage

By: Anna Gaynor

Published July 27, 2012 - 12:54pm CST

MILWAUKEE—Aurora Health Care has partnered with Aetna Inc. to offer commercial health care coverage designed for small and midsize businesses in Wisconsin and northern Illinois.

Aetna receives license to sell health insurance in Singapore

By: Mark A. Hofmann

Published June 13, 2012 - 2:32pm CST

SINGAPORE—Aetna Inc. has received a license to begin selling health insurance in Singapore, the Hartford, Conn.-based health insurer announced Wednesday.

Aetna wraps purchase of health plan administrator PayFlex

By: Jerry Geisel

Published October 06, 2011 - 10:03am CST

OMAHA, Neb.—Aetna Inc. says it has completed its acquisition of PayFlex Holdings Inc., an account-based health plan administrator.

Four health insurers to pool claims in research database

By: Joe Carlson, Modern Healthcare

Published September 20, 2011 - 1:10pm CST

Calling health care spending the "single biggest financial issue facing the nation," a group of four national health insurers announced plans Tuesday to pool more than five billion health care claims into a single database that researchers can mine to identify trends in cost, utilization and intensity of care.

Eliminating claims errors would save $17B annually: AMA

By: Jessica Zigmond, Modern Healthcare

Published June 20, 2011 - 1:02pm CST

CHICAGO—Claims-processing error rates among commercial insurers add an estimated $17 billion in unnecessary administrative costs to the health care system annually, according to the AMA, which released its fourth annual National Health Insurer Report Card in conjunction with the group's annual delegates meeting in Chicago.

Frustration with PPACA in Colorado Springs

Published June 03, 2011 - 11:06am CST

Fear and frustration were probably the two most common emotions gripping attendees at this year's Employee Benefits Leadership Forum in Colorado Springs as members of the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers debated the merits of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

WellPoint, Aetna among insurers receiving Fitch outlook upgrade

Published January 13, 2011 - 9:37am CST

NEW YORK (Bloomberg)—WellPoint Inc. and Aetna Inc. were among health insurers that had their outlooks upgraded by Fitch Ratings, which said the U.S. health care overhaul's impact on the industry will be “manageable.”

Aetna buys reinsurance for group commercial health business

By: Joanne Wojcik

Published January 12, 2011 - 2:51pm CST

HARTFORD, Conn.—Aetna Inc. has purchased reinsurance coverage on part of its group commercial health insurance business that will allow it to free up the amount of capital it must have on its books, the company confirmed Wednesday.

Aetna to buy health-data network for $500 million

Published December 07, 2010 - 11:03am CST

SALT LAKE CITY (Bloomberg)—Aetna Inc., the third-largest U.S. health insurer, agreed to buy closely held Medicity Inc. for about $500 million to expand its health-information services.

U.S. health insurers increased coverage denials: Report

Published October 12, 2010 - 2:08pm CST

(Bloomberg)—WellPoint Inc., Aetna Inc., Humana Inc. and UnitedHealth Group Inc. denied health coverage to 49% more people in two years for reasons such as pregnancy and the likelihood of adopting a child, a U.S. report found.