Recent Articles
Sherman Health Systems to join Advocate Health Care
Sherman Health Systems has signed a letter of intent to join Advocate Health Care, a move that will likely intensify competition for patients in the northwest suburbs. Elgin-based Sherman's board voted Monday to sign a letter of intent to pursue a deal with Advocate,...
Illinois Health Care Costs to Increase 6 percent in 2013
(Crain's) — Premiums for health insurance plans will climb 6.3 percent in 2013, but employee costs will shoot up even higher as companies look to shift more of the rising expenses to their workers, according to a new forecast by human resources consultancy Aon Hewitt....
Aetna to buy Coventry Healthcare
Health-care giant Aetna Inc. has struck a deal to buy Coventry Health Care Inc. for $5.7 billion in cash and stock, a move that will make Aetna one of the largest providers of government-financed health care. Aetna, based in Hartford, Conn., is paying $42.08 a share...
Obama Pushes For State Help On Health Exchanges
(Reuters) - The Obama administration this week will try to encourage reluctant U.S. states to move forward with health insurance exchanges amid fears that time is running out for states to act on a reform provision meant to extend coverage to millions of...
BCBSIL Eliminates Pre-existing Waiting Period on Individual Policies with Prior Individual Coverage
Effective July 1, 2012, the pre-existing waiting period on new Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) individual policies can now be offset by prior individual coverage with another carrier, provided: Application is received on or after July 1, 2012 The prior...
Report: 5,000 Illinois Deaths caused by lack of health insurance
(Crain's) — Nearly 5,000 Illinois residents died between 2005 and 2010 because they didn't have insurance, according to a new report issued just days before the U.S. Supreme Court's expected ruling on the federal overhaul of health care. Illinois ranked sixth among...
BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois sued over out-of-network charges
(Crain's) — Two Northwest Side outpatient surgery centers that are part of a group of Chicago-area clinics allege that Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Illinois has reneged on “unambiguous promises” of coverage for services totaling more than $10 million, as the...
Supreme Court upholds health care law as tax measure
WASHINGTON— The Supreme Court led by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. upheld the heart of President Obama's health care law today, ruling that the government may impose tax penalties on those who do not have health insurance. The decision came on a 5-4 vote, with the...
BCBSIL’s Parent Company Income Drops 6.7 Percent in 1st Quarter of 2012
(Crain's) — Net income for the parent of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Illinois dipped to about $408 million in the first quarter, compared with a year ago, as claims rose faster than revenue. Health Care Service Corp.'s first-quarter net income slipped 6.7 percent, to...
IRS May Eliminate FSA Use-It-or-Lose-It Rule
Employers and plan administrators that offer health flexible spending accounts have been bracing themselves for Jan. 1, 2013. That’s when the $2,500 limit on health FSA salary reduction contributions provided for in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act kicks...