Highmark still growing
Often one of the last industries to see a downturn in times of a recession, the healthcare business has been suffering lately. An exception, however, is Highmark Inc.; the large health insurer based in Pittsburgh.
Latest in the Inquirer’s health insurance series: Widow’s premium to rise 45%
The latest in the Philadephia Inquirer’s series on the health insurance crisis tells the story of a widow, age 62, who was recently informed by Independence Blue Cross that her health insurance premium will increase by 45% in January.
Times-Tribune: Ario has a strong case to reject Blues merger
In an editorial published today, the Times-Tribune outlines their view that Insurance Commissioner Joel Ario has been provided with abundant evidence that he should reject the proposed Blues merger.
Then, after hearings, the state Senate Banking and Insurance Committee recommended, by a 10-4 vote, that the department reject the merger. That committee’s House counterpart also conducted hearings, but it chose to allow members to make individual recommendations rather than to take a committee vote.
As noted by the commissioned report and the Senate committee, the proposed merger would create the seventh-largest insurance company in the United States. It would have more market share in its home state, 70 percent of the commercial market and 53 percent of the overall market, than any other U.S. insurer. The spread between its market share and that of its next-largest competitor also would be the biggest in the country, in that the next-biggest insurer, UPMC, has just 6.5 percent of the market.”
Visit the Times-Tribune to read the entire editorial.