http://www.healthinsurancecolorado.net/blog1/2006/09/09/what-is-this-mess-really-about/ Research and discussion of the Colorado health insurance industry and the healthcare crisis in America. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:55:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 http://www.healthinsurancecolorado.net/blog1/2006/09/09/what-is-this-mess-really-about/comment-page-1/#comment-63 Colorado Health Insurance Insider » Insurance Mergers and Network Shrinkage Hurts Consumers Thu, 12 Oct 2006 22:32:44 +0000 http://insuranceshoppers.net/blog1/2006/09/09/what-is-this-mess-really-about/#comment-63 [...] I have a good friend who is seven months pregnant with her first child.  Her employer-sponsored health insurance is with PacifiCare, which recently merged with United HealthCare.  Ever since her first prenatal visit in April, she has been seeing a nurse-midwife and an OB/GYN with whom she feels very comfortable.  She had planned to deliver her baby at Rose Medical Center in Denver, where her doctors deliver.  But over the summer, United HealthCare and Health One were unable to negotiate their contract, so Health One hospitals are no longer in network for United HealthCare in Colorado.  There are eight HealthOne hospitals in Denver, including Rose Medical Center.  So now it looks as if my friend is going to have to go to another hospital for the birth, and will be assigned whatever doctor is on call at that hospital when she happens to go into labor.  Most women very much value the relationship they have with their doctor during pregnancy, and she is understandably not thrilled to have someone else deliver the baby.  But she cannot afford to pay out of network charges at Rose, so she doesn’t have a lot of options.  [...] [...] I have a good friend who is seven months pregnant with her first child.  Her employer-sponsored health insurance is with PacifiCare, which recently merged with United HealthCare.  Ever since her first prenatal visit in April, she has been seeing a nurse-midwife and an OB/GYN with whom she feels very comfortable.  She had planned to deliver her baby at Rose Medical Center in Denver, where her doctors deliver.  But over the summer, United HealthCare and Health One were unable to negotiate their contract, so Health One hospitals are no longer in network for United HealthCare in Colorado.  There are eight HealthOne hospitals in Denver, including Rose Medical Center.  So now it looks as if my friend is going to have to go to another hospital for the birth, and will be assigned whatever doctor is on call at that hospital when she happens to go into labor.  Most women very much value the relationship they have with their doctor during pregnancy, and she is understandably not thrilled to have someone else deliver the baby.  But she cannot afford to pay out of network charges at Rose, so she doesn’t have a lot of options.  [...]

]]> http://www.healthinsurancecolorado.net/blog1/2006/09/09/what-is-this-mess-really-about/comment-page-1/#comment-22 Colorado Health Insurance Insider » Humana Extends Contract with HCA-HealthONE in Colorado Through 2008 Fri, 22 Sep 2006 23:32:39 +0000 http://insuranceshoppers.net/blog1/2006/09/09/what-is-this-mess-really-about/#comment-22 [...] Good news for our clients with Humana health insurance.  After it seemed that HCA was handing out unreasonable rate increases, Humana Inc. HUM announced today that its existing contract with HCA-HealthONE hospital and ancillary facilities has been extended from June 1, 2007 through May 31, 2008 for all Humana members throughout Colorado. [...] [...] Good news for our clients with Humana health insurance.  After it seemed that HCA was handing out unreasonable rate increases, Humana Inc. HUM announced today that its existing contract with HCA-HealthONE hospital and ancillary facilities has been extended from June 1, 2007 through May 31, 2008 for all Humana members throughout Colorado. [...]

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