Healthcare Business Strategy PDF Archive

Membership Trends in Employer Group Medicare Advantage

In this brief, Mark Farrah Associates provides insights about the current employer-group Medicare Advantage market and assesses membership trends over the past four years, by carrier and state

Monday, December 18, 2017

Mid-Year 2017 Medicaid Market and Enrollment Trends

This brief provides an overview of the current Medicaid market with insights about top companies competing in this segment.

Friday, November 3, 2017

Spotlight on the 2018 Competitive Medicare Market

This brief presents a snapshot of the 2018 Medicare Advantage market with insights about the leading companies vying for business in this competitive segment.

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Improved Profitability for the Individual Health Insurance Sector and Other Segment Insights

This brief presents key findings from Mark Farrah Associates' (MFAs) review of mid-year profitability for commercial and government lines of health insurance business. MFA compared year-over-year, second quarter per member per month (PMPM) health premiums and expenses for the Individual, Employer Group, Medicare and Medicaid segments.

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

A Brief Analysis of the 2014 - 2016 ACA Reinsurance and Risk Adjustment Results

Mark Farrah Associates (MFA) analyzed the three years of both the Reinsurance and Risk Adjustment programs for the individual market, summarizing some of the key findings found within the HHS data, starting with Reinsurance.

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

A Brief Look at the Turbulent Individual Health Insurance Market

In this brief, Mark Farrah Associates provides a timely look at recent individual health insurance market developments with state-by-state membership comparisons and competitor insights.

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Health Insurance Enrollment Shifts and Market Segment Trends

Mark Farrah Associates analyzed the latest year-over-year enrollment trends, comparing 1st quarter 2016 with 1st quarter 2017 segment membership. As of March 31, 2017, over 265 million people received medical coverage from U.S. health insurers.

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

A Brief Analysis of Health Insurance Competition and Commercial Market Share

Mark Farrah Associates (MFA) presents an overview of market demographics and market share data, with a focus on health plan market position in three Metropolitan Statistical Areas in Pennsylvania.

Thursday, June 22, 2017

An Analysis of Individual and Small Group Health Insurance Trends

Mark Farrah Associates (MFA) examines some of the key findings from its latest analysis of the Supplemental Health Care Exhibit (SHCE), including a focus on performance within Individual and Small Group comprehensive insurance segments.

Monday, June 5, 2017

Year over Year Growth for Medicare Supplement

In 2016, Medicare Supplement carriers experienced another year of membership growth. As of December 31, 2016, enrollment in Medicare Supplement plans (also known as Med Supp or Medigap) was nearly 12.6 million, up 6% over 2015 figures.

Friday, April 28, 2017

Fourth Quarter 2016 Health Insurance Enrollment Trends and Segment Performance

Mark Farrah Associates analyzed the latest year-over-year enrollment trends, comparing 4th quarter 2015 with 4th quarter 2016 segment membership. As of December 31, 2016, nearly 264 million people received medical coverage from U.S. health insurers.

Friday, April 21, 2017

Medicare PDP Enrollment Covers over 25 Million Members

Medicare stand-alone prescription drug plans (PDPs) covered 25.1 million people as of March 1, 2017. With a net gain of nearly 443,000 (1.8%) net enrollees between March 2016 and March 2017.

Thursday, March 30, 2017

Medicare Advantage Membership up Nearly 1.4 Million Year-over-year

Nearly 19.6 million people were enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans as of February 2017. Total year-over-year Medicare Advantage enrollment increased by approximately 1.4 million as managed Medicare continues to be an attractive growth market for health insurance companies.

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Third Quarter 2016 Health Insurance Enrollment Trends

Mark Farrah Associates analyzed the latest year-over-year enrollment trends, comparing 3rd quarter 2015 with 3rd quarter 2016 segment membership.

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

A Brief Analysis of the 2015 Medical Loss Ratio and Rebates Results

Mark Farrah Associates (MFA) summarizes some of the key findings found within the HHS report, with a focus on health plan performance as it relates to the Medical Loss Ratio and the related rebates due to consumers.

Friday, January 27, 2017

Medicaid Market Update

Thursday, January 12, 2017

Mid-Year Health Insurance Enrollment Trends and Market Outlook

Mark Farrah Associates analyzed the latest year-over-year enrollment trends, comparing 2nd quarter 2015 with 2nd quarter 2016 segment membership.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Health Insurance Competition: Spotlight on Market Share

One of the most important measures of growth for health insurance companies is market share and it's all about enrollment. Companies are not only looking at their own market position but they also routinely analyze competitor membership to assess relative market share.

Monday, October 31, 2016

An Analysis of 2017 Medicare Business Competition

This brief presents a snapshot of the 2017 Medicare Advantage market with insights about the leading companies vying for business in this competitive segment.

Friday, October 14, 2016

Second Quarter 2016 Profit Margins for the Top Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans

Profitability for health insurers has been a hot topic as of late, especially within the ACA regulated Individual and Small Group segments. Many insurers have increased premiums and instituted programs aimed at controlling costs and improving profitability. In this edition of the Health Care Business Strategy, Mark Farrah Associates analyzes profit margins of the top Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans, comparing year over year performance as of June 2016.

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

First Quarter 2016 Profits Plummet for Leading Health Plans while Enrollment Results Remain Mixed

Mark Farrah Associates assessed year-over-year enrollment changes and profitability for seven leaders in the health insurance industry between 1Q15 and 1Q16. Combined first quarter 2016 results indicated marginal enrollment growth of 1.97 million and less than favorable results for year-over-year profitability.

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

The Unpredictable Individual Health Insurance Market

The future of the Marketplace and how individual health insurance options will trend is anything but predictable. This brief provides a timely look at recent market developments with state-by-state membership comparisons and competitor insights.

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Medicare Advantage Market Penetration

The aging of the Baby Boomers plays an obvious role in overall MA growth but plans have also experienced steady gains in market penetration. In fact, over the past three years, increasing market penetration has been a significant membership driver. Over this period of time, a large portion of this growth has come from five states, Illinois, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas and Michigan. This brief assesses company performance in these important states.

Thursday, July 21, 2016

2015 Small Group Health Insurance Market

In 2015, small group health insurers provided coverage for 13.537 million people through policies written within 1.088 million small employer groups. The year-over-year trend continues to show a decline in the number of covered lives and groups but nonetheless the sizeable small group market remains an attractive business target for commercial health insurers. Two leading health insurance companies dominated with respect to underwriting gains in 2015.

Thursday, June 30, 2016

The Latest Health Insurance Market Trends

Despite pending mergers and uncertainty about Obamacare and policy changes in light of the upcoming Presidential election, many health insurers continue to successfully grow business. Seasoned competitors, adept at meeting the demands of a changing industry, are implementing programs to control costs, retain customers and attract new accounts. Health plans nationwide are pursuing opportunities in Medicaid, Medicare and Marketplace programs and ASO business is also a growth target.

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Key Trends within the Individual and Small Group Health Insurance Segments

In this month's Healthcare Business Strategy, Mark Farrah Associates (MFA) examines some of the key findings found in our latest analysis of the Supplemental Health Care Exhibit (SHCE), including a focus on performance within Individual and Small Group comprehensive insurance segments.

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Year-Over-Year Membership for Leading Health Insurers Increased by Nearly 3.4 Million

Mark Farrah Associates assessed year-over-year enrollment changes and profitability for seven leaders in the health insurance industry between 2014 and 2015. Combined 2015 results indicated enrollment growth of 3.4 million however plans reported less than favorable results for year-over-year profitability.

Friday, May 13, 2016

Med Supp Market Shows Strong Growth in 2015

In 2015, Medicare Supplement carriers experienced another notable year of membership growth. As of December 31, 2015, enrollment in Medicare Supplement plans (also known as Med Supp or Medigap) exceeded 11.9 million, up 6.5% over 2014 figures.

Friday, April 29, 2016

Medicare Advantage Enrollment Covers Over 18 Million Members

More than 18 million people were enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans as of February 2016. Total year over year Medicare Advantage enrollment increased by more than 927,000 as managed Medicare continues to be an attractive growth market for health insurance companies.

Friday, February 26, 2016

Marginal 3Q15 Enrollment Increase of 3.3 Million Members for Top Health Plans

Mark Farrah Associates assessed enrollment changes and profitability for seven leaders in the health insurance industry where most top plans saw marginal enrollment growth between third quarter 2014 and third quarter 2015.

Friday, February 12, 2016

Blue Cross and Blue Shield Market Share Snapshot 2015

Blues plans are the leaders in most U.S. health insurance markets and without a doubt, the Blues brand is a powerful force in the industry. Blues plans and affiliates provide comprehensive medical coverage for approximately 105million members, or about 41% of the total insured market.

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

A Brief Analysis of the 2014 Medical Loss Ratio and Rebates Results

In this month's Healthcare Business Strategy, MFA summarizes some of the key findings found within the HHS report, with a focus on health plan performance as it relates to the Medical Loss Ratio, and the related rebates due to consumers.

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Understanding the Medicaid Market

Since the enactment of the ACA in 2010, the number of beneficiaries enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP programs grew to 72.4 million as of June 2015. This represents an increase of approximately 14.6 million covered lives when compared to the population of Medicaid recipients prior to ACA implementation. This brief presents an overview of the current Medicaid market with insights about health plan competition and market share.

Monday, November 30, 2015

Top Health Insurers Experienced Enrollment Gains of 4.3 Million Members for Second Quarter 2015

Combined second quarter 2015 results for seven of the leading U.S. health plans indicated enrollment growth of nearly 4.3 million and most plans realized year-over-year profit gains. This brief presents key findings from Mark Farrah Associates' (MFAs') review of second quarter 2015 enrollment and financial trends among seven top health insurers: Aetna, Cigna, Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), Humana, Kaiser Permanente, UnitedHealth Group and Anthem.

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

The Competitive Landscape for 2016 Medicare Business

This brief presents a snapshot of the 2016 Medicare Advantage market with insights about the leading companies vying for business in this competitive segment.

Monday, October 19, 2015

Notable Enrollment Trends Since the Onset of ACA

Since the 2014 Enrollment season opened in October of 2013, it is very clear that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has had a substantial impact on health insurance membership. While it is evident that membership has increased since ACA implementation, material changes in product mix and company focus have resulted in some interesting trends. These trends are highlighted in this month's HealthCare Business Strategy report.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

First Quarter 2015 Enrollment Growth of 6.4 Million for Seven Health Insurance Leaders

Mark Farrah Associates assessed enrollment changes and profitability for seven leaders in the health insurance industry where all top plans saw enrollment growth between first quarter 2014 and first quarter 2015.

Friday, August 21, 2015

A Brief Analysis of the 2014 ACA Reinsurance and Risk Adjustment Results

On June 30th, 2015 the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a report detailing the 2014 results of both the Reinsurance and Risk Adjustment programs. Subscribers to Mark Farrah Associate?s Health Coverage Portal will have access to the key data found in this report with the benefit of NAIC Company Codes mapped to HIOS codes used for government reporting by health plans.

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Health Enrollment Trends and Market Outlook

Following the Supreme Court ruling to uphold the ACA?s federal subsidies, the healthcare industry is now bracing for a potential surge in mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Yet, the beat goes on. Health insurers nationwide continue to invest in growth pursuits afforded by the Exchanges, Medicaid expansion and the aging of America. The need to understand competitive positioning and health insurer market share has never been greater.

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Enrollment Gains and Favorable Profits for Health Insurance Leaders in 2014

Mark Farrah Associates assessed enrollment changes and profitability for seven leaders in the health insurance industry where most top plans saw enrollment growth in 2014.

Friday, May 15, 2015

Med Supp Growth Bodes Opportunity for Insurers

The Medicare Supplement segment continued to show impressive growth in 2014. As of December 31, 2014, enrollment in Medicare Supplement plans (also known as Med Supp or Medigap) approached 11.2 million, up 5.2% from 10.6 million in 2013, according to annual financial statements filed with the NAIC (National Association of Insurance Commissioners).

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Medicare Advantage Tops 17 Million Members

More than 17.3 million people were enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans as of March 2015. Year over year, total Medicare Advantage enrollment increased by more than 1.3 million as managed Medicare continues to be an attractive growth market for health insurance companies.

Friday, March 27, 2015

Membership for Leading Health Plans Up 5.6 Million from 3Q13 to 3Q14

Combined 3rd quarter 2014 results for seven of the leading U.S. health plans indicated enrollment growth of 5.6 million. Aggregate figures reflected gains in both risk-based and self-funded medical membership. Most industry leaders realized significant gains in individual, non-group business. Profits were down from 3Q13 to 3Q14 for many leaders.

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Blue Cross and Blue Shield Still Leads in Many Markets

Blues plans are the leaders in many U.S. health insurance markets and without a doubt, the Blues brand is a powerful force in the industry. Blues plans and affiliates provide comprehensive medical coverage for approximately 104 million members, or about 44% of the total insured market.

Friday, January 23, 2015

Health Insurance Enrollment and Marketplace Estimates: December 2014 Insights

Marketplace data that distinguishes off-Marketplace from on-Marketplace individual membership and identifies enrollment by health plan are not yet available. However, Mark Farrah Associates finds the number of people enrolled in individual medical plans increased by at least 5.3 million from 3rd quarter 2013 to 3rd quarter 2014.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Membership for Top Health Plans Up Five Million as of Mid-Year 2014

Combined 2nd quarter 2014 results for seven of the leading U.S. health plans indicated enrollment growth of almost 5 million. Aggregate figures reflected gains in both risk-based and self-funded medical membership. Most industry leaders realized significant gains in individual, non-group business as the individual mandate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) took effect this year. Financial performance overall was generally favorable but year-over-year profits were down for some of the leaders.

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Preview of 2015 Medicare Advantage Competition

This brief presents a snapshot of the 2015 Medicare Advantage market with insights from the Medicare landscape reports and discusses the companies that will be competing for business during the upcoming AEP. It also touches on the Medicare Benefits Analyzer, a Mark Farrah Associates database that simplifies analysis of the Medicare Plan Finder for companies competing in this segment.

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Performance of Top Health Plans as of 1st Quarter 2014

Leading health plans continued to successfully implement health reform expansions and execute growth strategies as they began to deal with newly effective ACA taxes and regulatory provisions this year. First quarter 2014 results for seven of the leading health plans in the industry reflect enrollment gains coupled with favorable financial results.

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

The Small Group Health Insurance Market

In 2013, small group health insurers provided coverage for 16.687 million people through policies written within 1.453 million small employer groups. The year-over-year trend continues to show a decline in the number of covered lives and groups but nonetheless the sizeable small group market remains an attractive business target for commercial health insurers. Three leading health insurance companies dominated with respect to underwriting gains in 2013, accounting for 71% of segment profits.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Health Enrollment Shifts and Early 2014 Insights

As provisions from the Affordable Care Act (ACA) cover more Americans, the result will be significant changes to how people are concentrated by coverage type within segments. Many people are expected to switch from employment-based coverage to off-exchange individual plans while others will qualify and enroll in public exchanges. Tracking enrollment shifts by coverage type is critically important to the long-term sustainability and growth of health plans and healthcare stakeholders.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Enrollment Gains and Profit Declines for Top Health Plans

Despite the uncertainty and volatility of health reform, leaders in the health insurance sector have good reason to remain optimistic. Though year-over-year profit margins declined for companies included in this assessment, most of these top health plans experienced enrollment gains last year and this is an encouraging sign.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Med Supp Enrollment Continues to Grow

The latest Medicare Supplement membership and financial figures show continued growth in the number of new policies being issued, a shift among plan types being selected by consumers and a decline in the aggregate loss ratio, incurred claims as a percent of earned premiums. As of December 31, 2013, enrollment in Medicare Supplement products (also referred to as Med Supp or Medigap) exceeded 10.5 million enrollees, up 3.8% from 10.2 million in 2012.

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Nearly 1.9 Million People in Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans

Nearly 1.9 million people or 12% of the 15.7 million people enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans have selected what it is known as a Special Needs Plans (SNPs).

Monday, March 31, 2014

Medicare PDP Growth Rate Declined

Medicare stand-alone prescription drug plans (PDPs) covered almost 23.3 million people as of February 1, 2014. With a net gain of nearly 853,000 (3.8%) net enrollees between February 2013 and February 2014, PDP growth is down significantly from 2.7 million (14.7%) net enrollees gained between February 2012 and February 2013.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Thirty Percent of People Eligible for Medicare Enrolled in Medicare Advantage Plans

Nearly 16 million people were enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans as of February 2014, 30.2% of the 52.7 million people eligible for Medicare, according to data from The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Roughly 19% of MA enrollment is from employer group health plans (EGHPs), up from 17.6% in February 2013.

Friday, February 28, 2014

Similar Growth Strategies Among Top Health Plans

Medical membership for the leading U.S. health insurance plans increased 8.7% from 132.2 million as of September 2012 to 143.7 million as of September 2013. Mark Farrah Associates noted several common strategies that have emerged to are implementing to support growth and cost management, in its latest Health Insurer Insights reports.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Blue Cross Blue Shield Plan Consolidation Continues

Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield (BCBS) organizations along with their affiliates enrolled 98.7 million people as of September 30, 2013, more than 31% of the population in the United States and 40% of those commercially insured. Mark Farrah Associates examines membership changes that occurred at BCBS organizations from September 2012 to September 2013 and looks at financial data as of December 2012.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Medicare Advantage Plans Cover 15 Million

Medicare Advantage (MA) plans enrolled 15.1 million as of December 1, 2013, up nearly 1.3 million members since December 1, 2012. Membership surpassed 15 million members in October.

Friday, December 20, 2013

ACA Driving the Need for Health Plan Membership by County

As health insurance moves to a direct-to-consumer model, identifying where consumers are located and what health plan options are available in local markets is essential. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is reshaping the industry and setting standards to ensure that consumers have coverage options in all geographies of every state in the U.S.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Profit Margins Converge for Top Health Plans

Among the leading health plans in the United States, net income (also referred to as profit) margins converged around an average of 5% for the first six month of 2013. Roughly 2 percentage points separate the most profitable plan from the least profitable plan among top health insurance carriers through the second quarter of 2013, down from a nearly 9% range in 2008.

Friday, November 1, 2013

Individual Health Insurance Benchmark

More than 11.3 million people directly purchased individual health insurance coverage in 2012, according to a new report by Mark Farrah Associates. This data will serve as a benchmark on how the new health insurance exchanges, set to open in a few weeks, will compare.

Friday, September 20, 2013

Managed Medicaid Growth Continues for Health Plans

Aggregate revenues reported by U.S. health plans totaled $435.2 billion for 2012, up from $409.4 billion in 2011, or 6.3%, according to an analysis by Mark Farrah Associates of data filed with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

Friday, September 6, 2013

Difficult Decisions for Medicare Advantage Plans

With more than 51.9 million people eligible for Medicare as of August 2013 and an estimated 3.3 million aging into the program there is ample opportunity for health plans to gain membership during the 2014 open enrollment period.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Mixed Results for Leading Health Plans in First Quarter 2013

Mark Farrah Associates' latest Health Care Business Strategy report found most of the nation's leading health plans had enrollment gains in the first quarter of 2013 but five of the seven leading plans reported a slight downturn in profitability results year-over-year. Between December 2012 and March 2013 top plans saw an aggregate increase of nearly 1.1 million members, down from 1.4 million for the same period last year.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Competition and Growth Potential in Health Insurance Markets

Mark Farrah Associates presents insights about how insurers are using market demographics and market share data to target new coverage opportunities in Commercial and Medicaid markets

Monday, July 1, 2013

Small Group Health Insurance Enrollment Decline Continues

In 2012, more than 17.7 million people received comprehensive health insurance through fully-insured small group policies, compared to nearly 40.1 million people who received similar coverage through fully insured large group policies according to Mark Farrah Associates.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Top Health Plan Enrollment Increased by 5.6 Million

Medical membership for the leading U.S. health insurance plans increased 4.3% from 130.1 million at the end of 2011 to 135.7 million at the end of 2012 This brief presents key findings from Mark Farrah Associates' (MFA) review of enrollment and financial trends among seven top health insurers: Aetna, Cigna, Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), Humana, Kaiser Permanente, UnitedHealth Group and WellPoint.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Med Supp Enrollment Tops 10 Million

Medicare Supplement products remain a viable and growing alternative to Medicare Advantage options for seniors looking to offset the out-of-pocket costs of traditional Medicare coverage. As of December 31, 2012, enrollment in Medicare Supplement products (also referred to as Med Supp or Medigap) exceeded 10.1 million enrollees, up from 9.9 million in 2011.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans on the Rise

As of March 1, 2013 nearly 1.668 million people were enrolled in Medicare Special Needs Plans (SNPs) nationwide, up 18% over March 1, 2012.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Employer Group Plans Drive Medicare PDP Growth

Medicare stand-alone prescription drug plans (PDPs) covered almost 22.4 million people as of February 1, 2013 and gained more than 2.7 million covered lives between February 2012 and February 2013, a 14.7% increase year-over-year. Mergers and acquisitions and growth from employer group health plans are impacting the top plans.

Friday, March 8, 2013

Medicare Advantage Enrollment Tops 14.5 million

Nearly 14.6 million people were enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans as of February 2013, 28.5% of the 51.1 million people eligible for Medicare, according to data from The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Aggregated enrollment in MA plans increased by 1.260 million members between February 2012 and February 2013.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Medical Expense Trend Up in 2011

Total medical expenses grew 5.5% in 2011, from $392 billion in 2010 to $413 billion in 2011. Medical expenses on a per member per month basis increased 2.4% in 2011, according to an analysis done by Mark Farrah Associates. For the same period, expenses for prescription drugs increased 4.3%.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Health Plan Enrollment Shifting Toward Government-Sponsored Programs

Medical membership for the leading U.S. health insurance plans increased 2.6% from 128.3 million as of September 2011 to 131.7 million as of September 2012. Mark Farrah Associates also found for every Commercial member gained, the top plans added nearly five in government-sponsored programs since December 2011.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Blue Cross Blue Shield Plans Saw Enrollment Gains in 2012

Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield (BCBS) organizations along with their affiliates enrolled 96 million people as of 3Q12, up 2.3% from 3Q11. Mark Farrah Associates examines membership changes that occurred at BCBS organizations from September 2011 to September 2012 and reviews financial data as of December 2011.

Friday, January 4, 2013

Health Insurance Enrollment in Self-Insured Companies Up Significantly

Nationwide more than 97 million people are covered by administrative services only (ASO) agreements with health insurance companies as of June 2012, compared to 84 million who are covered by commercial fully-insured (risk) arrangements. ASO enrollment increased nearly 5% from June 2011 to June 2012.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Top Health Plans Expanding

Total membership for the seven leading U.S. health insurance carriers increased to 131.1 million as of June 30, 2012, up from 129.4 million at year- end 2011. Mark Farrah Associates also found most of the top health plans saw profitability declines year-over-year between 2Q11 and 2Q12.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Medicare Star Ratings Position Plans for Success or Failure

2013 star ratings have positioned some Medicare Advantage and Part D companies for success and others for potential failure.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Impact of State Healthcare Reform on Massachusetts Insurance Carriers

Health reform in Massachusetts played havoc on local plans' profitability, revenue, cost structures and enrollment. Lessons learned in Massachusetts can be transferred to other areas of the country as national reform is implemented.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Health Plan Quality Improvement Expenditures Rising

Health insurers spent more than $5 billion in 2011 to improve health care quality expenses and this number is expected to increase in the next several years.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Medicare Advantage Competition Analysis

With 50.2 million people eligible for Medicare as of August 2012 and an estimated 3.3 million aging into the program there is ample opportunity for health plans to gain membership during the 2013 open enrollment period.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

First Quarter 2012 Results Mixed for Leading Health Plans

Mark Farrah Associates' latest Healthcare Business Strategy report found most of the nation's leading health plans saw enrollment gains in the first quarter of 2012. There was however, a slight downturn in profitability results year-over-year. Between December 2011 and March 2012 top plans saw an aggregate increase of nearly 1.4 million members.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Small Group Health Insurance Enrollment Declined

In 2011, nearly 18 million people received comprehensive health insurance through fully-insured small group policies, compared to nearly 42 million people who received similar coverage through fully insured large group policies according to Mark Farrah Associates.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Individual Health Insurance Options Boom or Bust

Roughly 11 million people directly purchased individual health insurance coverage in 2011, up 4% over 2011, according to a new report by Mark Farrah Associates. Non-group or individual health insurance is emerging as a growing and diversified product line for insurers targeting people without access to employer-sponsored or government-sponsored coverage.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Health Plans Continue to See Revenue Shift Away from Commercial

Aggregate revenues reported by U.S. health plans totaled $408.9 billion for 2011, up from $386.0 billion in 2010, or 5.9%, according to an analysis by Mark Farrah Associates of data filed with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Market Improvement Evident For Top Health Plans

Mark Farrah Associates' latest Healthcare Business Strategy report found most of the leading U.S. health insurance plans saw income margins holding from 2010 to 2011 and membership gains across most market segments year-over-year. Total membership increased 2.9% with gains across the Commercial, Medicare and Medicaid segments from 2010 to 2011.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Growth in Newer Med Supp Policies Continues

The latest Medicare Supplement membership figures show continued growth in the number of new policies being issued. The number of newer policies, those issued in the last three years, increased by 7.5% in 2011 when compared to the 2010 final enrollment data.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Managed Medicaid Enrollment Escalates

According to the U.S. Census Bureau nearly 48.6 million people were enrolled in Medicaid programs in 2010. Mark Farrah Associates found roughly 36.4 million were covered by Medicaid managed care programs, up 8% over 2009.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

M and A Activity Shakes Up PDP Leader Board

Mark Farrah Associates found merger and acquisition activity, along with a dynamic competitive environment has altered the list of top PDP plans in 2012. PDPs covered almost 19.7 million people as of February 1, 2012 and gained nearly 1.2 million covered lives between February 2011 and February 2012, a 6% increase year-over-year.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Medicare Advantage Enrollment Up Over 1 Million Year Over Year

Over 13.3 million people were enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans as of February 2012, 27% of the 49.3 million people eligible for Medicare, according to data from The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Aggregated enrollment in MA plans increased by 1.151 million members between February 2011 and February 2012

Friday, February 17, 2012

UnitedHealthcare Takes Lead from WellPoint

Total membership for the seven leading U.S. health insurance carriers increased to 128.3 million as of September 30, 2011, up from 125.6 million one year ago. Mark Farrah Associates also found that UnitedHealthcare took the lead from WellPoint as the top health insurer in the nation in terms of medical membership as of September 30, 2011.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Blue Cross Blue Shield Entities Confronting Strong Competition

Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield (BCBS) entities along with their affiliates enrolled 94.4 million people as of 3Q11, down -1.6% from 3Q10. Mark Farrah Associates examines membership changes that occurred at BCBS entities from September 2010 to September 2011 and reviews financial data as of December 2010.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Traditional Medical Loss Ratio Differs from ACA-MLR

Department of Health and Human Services regulations, concerning a provision(section 2718) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA), broaden the traditional definition of the term medical loss ratio and alters its use from measuring profitability to assessing punitive charges.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Top Health Plans Perform Well for First Half of 2011

Total membership for the seven leading U.S. health insurance carriers increased to 127.9 million as of June 30, 2011, up from 125.9 million at year end 2010. Mark Farrah Associates also found all of the top health plans saw improved profitability year-over-year between 2Q10 and 2Q11.

Friday, November 11, 2011

CI Experts Discuss Navigating Health Insurance Market Changes

Competitive intelligence (CI) professionals convened at the Society of Insurance Research?s (SIR) annual conference this month to discuss the changing health insurance landscape.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Analyzing Medicare Advantage Competition

With 48.4 million people eligible for Medicare as of September 2011 and an estimated 3.3 million aging into the program there is ample opportunity for health plans to gain membership during the 2012 open enrollment period.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Medical Expense Trend Declines in 2010

Total medical expenses grew 1.7% in 2010, from $395 billion in 2009 to $401 billion in 2010. Medical expenses on a per member per month basis which escalated at nearly 8% per year from 2002 ? 2008, saw a decline in 2009 to 4.9% and a growth rate of only 1.1% in 2010, according to an analysis done by Mark Farrah Associates.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Medicare Prescription Drug Plans See Revitalization

Demographic changes and industry consolidation are two trends contributing to the revitalization of the Medicare Part D marketplace. Stand-alone Part D plans, also known as Medicare prescription drug plans (PDPs), gained nearly 886,000 covered lives between August 2010 and August 2011, a 5.0% increase year-over-year.

Friday, August 26, 2011

1st Quarter 2011 Results Promising for Leading Health Plans

Total membership for the seven leading U.S. health insurance carriers increased from 126.5 million in 1Q10 to 128.0 million for 1Q11. Mark Farrah Associates also found all of the top health plans saw improved profitability year-over-year between 1Q10 and 1Q11.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Medicare Market Momentum Alive and Well

The Medicare market with baby boomers aging in is one of the biggest marketing opportunities in the industry today. Starting in 2012, more than 3 million people will turn 65 every year and this figure will approach 4 million by the year 2020. Health plans and vendor stakeholders are investing considerably to implement senior market business strategies.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

New Insights about the Commercial Health Insurance Market

Mark Farrah Associates reports key observations about the commercial health market as 521 insurance companies filed new NAIC Supplemental Health Care Exhibits with their 2010 Annual Statement. The business strategy report includes enrollment and financial results for individual, small employer and large employer group segments.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Diversification Key Strategy for Leading Health Plans

Total membership for the seven leading U.S. health insurance carriers increased from 125.0 million in 2009 to 125.9 million for 2010. Mark Farrah Associates also found Commercial medical enrollment continued to decline for these carriers, falling -0.7% from 2009 to 2010.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Managed Medicaid Enrollment Rising

According to the U.S. Census Bureau nearly 47.8 million people were enrolled in Medicaid programs in 2009. Mark Farrah Associates found roughly 33.6 million were covered by Medicaid managed care programs, up 11% over 2008.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Growth in Newer Med Supp Policies Continues

The latest Medicare Supplement membership figures show continued growth in the number of new policies being issued. The number of newer policies, those issued in the last three years, increased by 5.9% in 2010 when compared to the 2009 base.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

PDPs See Enrollment Surge

Friday, March 11, 2011

Medicare Advantage Enrollment Exceeds 12 Million

Friday, February 25, 2011

PPACA Provision Challenges Health Insurance Companies and Vendors

Monday, February 14, 2011

Top Health Plans Gain Members

Monday, January 31, 2011

New Health Plan Reporting Requires More Transparency

Friday, January 21, 2011

Blue Cross Blue Shield Plans' Strong Competitive Edge