Blue Shield in California, which is a health insurance company with 3.2 million members… is the first among the large insurers in the company to announce that they will no longer be providing coverage for the breast cancer drug called Avastin, following a unanimous recommendation by a federal advisory committee that the Food and Drug Administration rescind the medication’s approval as a treatment for the disease, stating that patients were not helped by its use. That said, Avastin is still holding onto its approval, as commissioner Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg…
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UnitedHealth launched new initiative to make hearing aids available to more Americans
The UnitedHealth Group, one of the largest health insurance companies in the U.S., has announced that it will begin offering hearing aids as part of its myriad of health care products. The company has introduced four different kinds of hearing aids each made by IntriCon Corp., a manufacturer of small medical devices. UnitedHealth has begun offering hearing aids as part of a way to promote Medicare enrollment. The company will be offering hearing aids for eligible Medicare plan members at retail prices, which will be lower than prices found outside…
Read MoreIBM supercomputer to recommend action on thousands of insurance claims for WellPoint Inc
IBM’s famed supercomputer, Watson, is taking on a new challenge, the results of which may have a sweeping impact on the nation’s insurance industry. The supercomputer has successfully overcome several challenges in the past, including a “Jeopardy!” competition in which the computer won a decisive victory against some of the brightest minds in trivia knowledge. Watson has shown that its computing power surpasses the capabilities of a human mind and, because it is a machine, is not prone to typical human error. For this reason, the computer is now being…
Read MoreWellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield not entirely sold on insurance exchange
The largest insurance provider in Iowa, Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield, is still debating whether or not it wishes to take part in the insurance exchange in the state. If this insurer does not take part, it could be destructive to the entire insurance exchange initiative. The state insurance exchanges are considered to be a key component of the healthcare reform program for the entire country. Supporters of the exchanges are saying that the systems and services they will establish will assist millions of small businesses, families, and individuals to better…
Read MoreWellPoint shares drop following second quarter Medicare spending analysis
Shares of the health insurance company with the highest enrollment, WellPoint Inc., fell dramatically after the insurer announced that its second quarter medical care costs spiked following an increase in its Medicare patients. For the second time this year, the Indianapolis-based insurer has increased its annual forecast following the increase in sales. The enrollment with WellPoint increased by 2.1 percent, reaching 34.2 million, primarily from a rise in elderly and disabled Medicare members. Approximately 75 percent of the new enrollees with Medicare had come from competitors that had withdrawn from…
Read MoreNew Jersey: Government run health plan looking to close their doors
In New Jersey, hundreds of cities and school districts have saved a fortune by taking part in the state’s relatively unknown benefits program. For the past three years, an increasing number of people are dropping the insurance policies they bought from big name companies in favor of the state’s program. Some legislators are looking to change that by proposing a new bill that could severely inhibit the program. Stephen M. Sweeney, the State Senate president, is proposing legislation that would prohibit the state run insurance program from accepting new members.…
Read MoreMichigan health insurer rolls out new plan geared for youth
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has unveiled a new insurance plan tailored for young adults, which will cost them less than $100 monthly. Called the Young Adult Blue Max plan, the goal is to provide coverage for those between the ages of 19 and 30. The plan offers medical, dental and vision coverage. Preventative care and services are included in the plan. The insurer is claiming that their new coverage plan will prove especially beneficial for young adults striking out on their own. Whether they are starting a career…
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