HealthLeaders-InterStudy, a leading provider of managed care industry intelligence, finds that local Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana Medicare drug-benefit plans will be competing fiercely with offerings from national plans such as WellPoint, UnitedHealth Group, and Humana Inc. According to the latest issue of Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana Health Plan Analysis from HealthLeaders-InterStudy, 17 organizations, both local and national, are offering stand-alone Medicare drug plans in Ohio, and another 16 in Indiana and Kentucky.
"The larger national plans are hitting the Medicare market at every possible point," said Jane DuBose, HealthLeaders-InterStudy analyst. "In addition to the Part D stand-alone drug plans, companies like WellPoint and Humana are rolling out Medicare Advantage plans and local and regional PPOs in all three states as well, hoping to get some market dominance."
The changes brought by the Medicare Modernization Act are likely to shake up what has been a static market in Medicare HMOs and PPOs in the region. Marketing costs in a more competitive market will be significantly higher than they were in the past.
Other health plan news in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana: -- HMO enrollment in Ohio has dropped to 18 percent of the commercial market. -- Most Kentucky HMOs lost membership in 2004. -- Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield continues its dominance of the HMO market in Indiana, with over 40 percent of the market. About HealthLeaders-InterStudy
HealthLeaders-InterStudy, a company of Decision Resources, Inc. (http://www.decisionresources.com/), is the authoritative source for managed care data, analysis, and news. For more information, please visit http://www.healthleaders-interstudy.com/.
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For more information, contact: Alex Jablokow Decision Resources 781-296-2562 ajablokow@dresources.com
SOURCE: HealthLeaders-InterStudy
CONTACT: Alex Jablokow of Decision Resources, +1-781-296-2562,
ajablokow@dresources.com
