Business Insurance articles from May 2004

Business Insurance archives from May 2004

States, municipalities defy federal ban on Canadian drugs; Citing burdened budgets, local governments launch pharmaceutical reimportation programs.(Benefits Management)
May 3, 2004... Byline: GLORIA GONZALEZ Legislation introduced by a key U.S. senator that would allow consumers to legally buy prescription drugs from Canada has intensified the debate over domestic drug pricing and whether reimportation should be legal....

Risk groups reaching out to promote profession worldwide.(Spotlight: RIMS Conference Review)
May 3, 2004... Byline: PETA MILLER SAN DIEGO-Risk organizations and insurers are working to raise risk management standards and practices in less developed parts of the world. The Risk & Insurance Management Society Inc. announced the start of a...

Biotech drugs beneficial but confound cost containment.(Benefits Management)
May 3, 2004... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS Rapid growth in the price and availability of new specialty drug treatments is posing new challenges for employers' cost management efforts. The drugs, which typically are known as biotechnology-or...

Educating employees may yield cost savings.(Benefits Management)
May 3, 2004... Byline: JOANNE WOJCIK It may be possible to curb the rate of increase in health benefit costs through education alone, without making radical plan design changes, some benefit experts say. In fact, early results of the effectiveness of...

Long-tail London claims pose settlement challenges.(Spotlight: RIMS Conference Review)
May 3, 2004... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY SAN DIEGO-The answer to the question "How much is your historic London market coverage worth?'' is "Less than you might think,'' risk managers learned at the Risk & Insurance Management Society Inc. annual conference...

Consumerism program helps spread cost control message.(Benefits Management)
May 3, 2004... Byline: JOANNE WOJCIK Honeywell International Inc. is putting health care consumerism to the test with a new health education program aimed at improving outcomes, thereby lowering health care costs. "We are strong believers in many...

WTC lesson: Be clear on cover.(Spotlight: RIMS Conference Review)
May 3, 2004... Byline: GLORIA GONZALEZ SAN DIEGO-A lawyer for General Motors Acceptance Corp. told risk managers that the dispute over the World Trade Center insurance coverage should encourage them to strive for certainty when negotiating their...

Some Iraq risks finding cover available.(International)
May 3, 2004... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY SAN DIEGO-Insurance coverage is available for companies doing business in Iraq, with some insurers aggressively pursing business in the region, a panel of experts said. Michael Lempres, vp, insurance at the...

Professional development efforts push interaction with peers.(Spotlight: RIMS Conference Review)
May 3, 2004... Byline: GLORIA GONZALEZ SAN DIEGO-Risk managers learn best from other risk managers. The professional development programs being offered by the Risk & Insurance Management Society Inc. and other educational organizations all employ a...

Caesars betting onsite pharmacy will yield savings.(Benefits Management)
May 3, 2004... Byline: SALLY ROBERTS In hopes of reining in some of its health care costs, Caesars Entertainment Inc. last month opened its first worksite pharmacy to dispense generic drugs at no charge to roughly 8,000 Caesars employees and their...

Buyers advised to fight for D&O coverage.(Spotlight: RIMS Conference Review)(Directors and officers)
May 3, 2004... Byline: DAVE LENCKUS Directors and officers liability insurers are attempting to reduce coverage through exclusions and policy wording modifications that risk managers should not tolerate, according to a panel of experts. Because many...

California buyers hail comp changes.(Spotlight: RIMS Conference Review)
May 3, 2004... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS SAN DIEGO-California employers are hopeful that recent wide-ranging workers compensation reforms will reduce costs and curb litigation. Among many other changes, the reforms allow an employer to reduce its...

K&R coverage for Iraq costly, difficult to secure.(International)(kidnap and ransom )
May 3, 2004... Byline: PETA MILLER and SARAH VEYSEY LONDON-Commercial policyholders with operations in Iraq are increasingly seeking kidnap and ransom insurance coverage for their staff in the region following a spate of kidnappings. But while...

Between the Lines; Give Fair Isaac some credit.(News)
May 3, 2004... Byline: Compiled by Joanne Wojcik The award for most humorous invitation to a hospitality event at RIMS should go to Fair Isaac Corp., the company that invented credit scoring and is entering the workers compensation fraud detection...

Absence management aids Dell.(Spotlight: RIMS Conference Review)
May 3, 2004... Byline: PETA MILLER SAN DIEGO-Dude, you're getting back to work. When Dell Inc. faced an increase in employee absence, it decided to implement an approach to absence management that integrated its occupational and nonoccupational...

Corporate governance raises risk managers' profiles.(Spotlight: RIMS Conference Review)(Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc. )
May 3, 2004... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS SAN DIEGO-A growing focus on corporate governance and a challenging directors and officers liability insurance market are major forces shaping risk managers' roles within their organizations. Risk managers say...

Moving into emerging markets? Study local knowledge, expertise.(Spotlight: RIMS Conference Review)
May 3, 2004... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY SAN DIEGO-Gaining local knowledge is critical to managing an organization's overseas risks, especially in emerging markets, experts say. Ensuring that local business partners are following similar risk management...

IOC buys $170 million in Olympic cancellation cover.(International Olympic Committee)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... Byline: CAROLYN ALDRED LAUSANNE, Switzerland-The International Olympic Committee has secured $170 million in cancellation coverage for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, the IOC announced Tuesday. It is the first time the IOC has bought...

Buyers, insurers need stability.(News)(Property Casualty Insurers Assn. of America )
May 3, 2004... Byline: Paul Winston This is the time of the year when some of the largest property/ casualty insurers release their first-quarter results. The profits reported last week were generally much stronger compared with a year earlier. This...

TRIA well worth extending.(Opinions)(Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... THE ADAGE "haste makes waste'' may apply to many situations, but the reauthorization of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act isn't one of them. As we report on page 3, there's a growing consensus in the House of Representatives that TRIA...

Call for TRIA extension grows louder in Congress; House panels weigh impact of federal backstop.(News)(Terrorism Risk Insurance Act)
May 3, 2004... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN WASHINGTON-Support may be growing in Congress for extending the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act beyond its current Dec. 31, 2005, sunset date. As was evident in last week's joint meeting of the House Financial...

And the beats go on...(Opinions)
May 3, 2004... In an effort to ensure continuing timely coverage of risk management, insurance and employee benefit-related news, Business Insurance has formalized a list of its reporters' assigned beats. This list is not intended to be exclusive but rather...

Employers offering HSA plans to grow.(News)
May 3, 2004... Byline: JERRY GEISEL Only a small percentage of employers are very likely next year to offer health savings accounts linked to high-deductible insurance plans, but the practice should become more common after that, a survey shows. Next...

Products & Services; AIR offers consulting on cat risk impact.(News)(AIR Worldwide Corp)(Advisen 3.0,)
May 3, 2004... BOSTON-AIR Worldwide Corp., a catastrophe and weather-risk modeling company, is offering a new consulting service that assesses the impact of catastrophes on properties and individual structures. The service, Catastrophe Risk Engineering,...

Prescription drug cost control demands broader view: Panel.(News)
May 3, 2004... Byline: MEG FLETCHER OAK BROOK, Ill.-Employers concerned about the rising cost of prescription drug benefit plans need to take a broader view of the issue so they can choose the most cost-effective solutions, benefit experts say. For...

UnitedHealth boosts East Coast presence; Oxford buy seen as good fit for both.(News)
May 3, 2004... Byline: GLORIA GONZALEZ MINNEAPOLIS-UnitedHealth Group Inc.'s proposed acquisition of Oxford Health Plans Inc. will strengthen the nation's second-biggest managed care plan in a market where it has trailed other plans. Analysts say...

Risk management role underutilized: Survey; Organizations can do more.(News)
May 3, 2004... Byline: DAVE LENCKUS A group of leading risk managers says that while their organizations manage risk effectively and consider risk management a key strategic function, many do not use risk management to its fullest capability. Risk...

Regulators renew debate over broker commissions; Buyers differ on contingent arrangements.(News)
May 3, 2004... Byline: SALLY ROBERTS NEW YORK-Investigations by regulators in New York and California into the contingent commissions brokers receive from insurers are once again thrusting the issue of transparency onto center stage. But while some...

World Updates; Changes made to protect pension guaranty fund.(International)
May 3, 2004... The U.K. Parliament is making changes to the proposed Pension Protection Fund, in an effort to prevent defined benefit plan sponsors from misusing the program. Among other changes, the amendments would allow the U.K. pension regulator to force...

Insurers wary of defect settlement reform laws.(News)
May 3, 2004... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD Homebuilders facing rising liability costs are hoping a wave of legislation designed to reduce construction-defect lawsuits will help lower those costs. Insurers, meanwhile, see such legislation as a...

Editorial: Question contingent fees.(Opinions)(Editorial)
May 3, 2004... AS OFFICIALS in New York and California investigate contingent commissions received by brokers, it is time for risk managers to stop giving their tacit approval to the arrangements. As we report on page 1, while some risk managers query the...

Boston archdiocese won't absolve its insurer; Lumbermens, church spar over abuse settlement.(News)
May 3, 2004... Byline: DOUGLAS McLEOD BOSTON, Mass.-Lumbermens Mutual Casualty Co. and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston are trading charges over the insurer's refusal to contribute to the church's $84.3 million settlement last December of 552...

Cirque du Soleil settles case alleging HIV discrimination.(News)(Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD LOS ANGELES-The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has reached a $600,000 settlement with Cirque du Soleil (U.S.) Inc. over its termination of an HIV-positive performer. Matthew Cusick filed a...

Late News; Health claim costs to keep rising: Insurers.
May 3, 2004... Health insurers expect claims costs to continue rising by double digits well into next year, a survey has found. A group of health insurers surveyed by Aon Consulting projects that claims costs-including those for prescription drugs-will rise...

WTC jury deals blow to Silverstein.(News)(Silverstein Properties Inc.)(World Trade Center)
May 3, 2004... Byline: DOUGLAS McLEOD NEW YORK-A jury's partial verdict denying Silverstein Properties Inc. a potential double recovery from nine World Trade Center property insurers may be a huge setback for Silverstein, but it is far from the end of...

Disease management offers tonic for high costs; Integrated programs take aim at health risks.(Benefits Management)
May 3, 2004... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD More employers are turning to integrated disease management programs as a way to further reduce their health care costs. These programs offer services along the entire continuum of health care. They include not...

Some Iraq risks finding cover available.(International)(Correction Notice)
May 3, 2004... Byline: SARAH VEYSEY ***** Correction: Due to a reporting error, an article in the May 3 issue, "Some Iraq Risks Finding Cover Available,'' mistakenly stated that risk managers seeking coverage related to U.S. military contracts must...

Mandatory arbitration losing appeal among employers.(News)
May 10, 2004... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD Fewer employers are turning to mandatory arbitration agreements to settle employment disputes, say many observers. While many of the firms that have used mandatory arbitration over the past 10 years or so...

Captive benefits plan gets tentative OK.(News)
May 10, 2004... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-The Department of Labor has formally proposed that a major Swedish company be allowed to use a U.S. branch of its Ireland-domiciled captive to fund the benefit risks of the company's U.S. employees. ...

Seeking the extraordinary; BI solicits nominations for 40 under 40.(News)
May 10, 2004... CHICAGO-Business Insurance is seeking nominations for its "40 Under 40: People to Watch'' feature, a roundup of men and women who are doing extraordinary work in the commercial insurance industry before celebrating a 40th birthday. Anyone...

Comings & Goings.(News)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... Insurers: Cincinnati-based Great American Insurance Group has named Keith A. Jensen as executive vp, and he will continue to serve as chief financial officer of the company. Before his promotion, Mr. Jensen was a senior vp. Mutual of...

World Updates; FSA floats capital rules for Lloyd's companies.(International)(Financial Services Authority)
May 10, 2004... The United Kingdom's insurance regulator has proposed new risk-based capital rules for business written at Lloyd's of London. Under the Financial Services Authority's proposed rules, slated for introduction next year, Lloyd's managing agents...

Compensation due worker for psychiatric symptoms of injury.(International)
May 10, 2004... Byline: CAROLYN ALDRED LONDON-An employee who suffered physical and psychiatric injuries as a result of anger about an injury at work should be compensated by his former employer, the House of Lords ruled. In a judgment that is likely...

California comp law expected to integrate employee health care.(News)
May 10, 2004... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS California's newly adopted workers compensation reform law will help merge medical treatment for injuries and illnesses whether or not they are job-related, employers and vendors predict. Provisions in the law...

Buyers still frustrated by long waits for policies.(News)
May 10, 2004... Byline: SALLY ROBERTS Despite the pivotal role that slow policy issuance played in the World Trade Center coverage dispute, such delays continue to frustrate risk managers, prompting some to get tough with their insurers. The WTC...

Deadline approaching for annual BI directory of consumer-driven plans.(News)
May 10, 2004... Business Insurance will publish its online Directory of Consumer-Driven Health Care Plans in conjunction with the June 28 issue. The issue will include a Spotlight report on consumer-driven health care and a ranking of plans. The directory...

Hines symposium to address insurers' financial security.(News)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... CHICAGO-Helping risk managers answer new questions and concerns about the financial strength and security of their insurers will be the focus of the 2004 Harold H. Hines Jr. Memorial Symposium in Chicago. This year's symposium, "Insurer...

A fantasy league of risk managers.(Commentary)(Editorial)
May 10, 2004... Byline: Rodd Zolkos Like a lot of people around the country with apparently too much time on their hands, I have found a way to waste some of it by participating in a fantasy baseball league. For those unfamiliar with the fantasy...

Reinsurer to pay HIH liquidator to settle charges over contracts.(International)
May 10, 2004... Byline: ELIZABETH FRY SYDNEY-GeneralCologne Re Australia Ltd. will pay $27.2 million Australian ($19.9 million) to the liquidator of HIH Insurance Ltd. to settle charges that reinsurance contracts it wrote were designed to hide the true...

Mediation deserves a try.(Opinions)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... TIMES CHANGE, and so do the techniques needed to deal with employment issues. Take the issue of mandatory arbitration agreements as a means of settling employment disputes. Such agreements have been popular for years, but as we report on...

Many Canadian employers not following privacy law; Awareness lacking on how rule applies.(News)(Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act)
May 10, 2004... Byline: GLORIA GONZALEZ TORONTO-Many Canadian companies are still not in compliance with the country's federal privacy legislation, a fact that privacy experts say could expose them to several potential liabilities. Since Jan. 1, 2004,...

Clarify broker regulations.(Opinions)
May 10, 2004... IT SEEMS ABSURD that regulations designed to protect consumers from rogue operators should actually be imposed on the consumers themselves. Yet that is what could happen under certain interpretations of the European Union's insurance broker...

Public firmly in tort reform camp.(News)
May 10, 2004... Byline: Paul Winston After repeated setbacks in the drive for tort reform at the federal level-from med mal reform, to asbestos reform to class action reform-folks might start to wonder if it is they, and not lawmakers, who are out of step...

ISO filings made in case TRIA expires; Endorsements would allow insurers to limit coverage.(News)(Insurance Services Office Inc.)(Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... Byline: MEG FLETCHER JERSEY CITY, N.J.-The Insurance Services Office Inc. has taken initial steps to allow insurers to deny or modify terrorism coverage if the federal terrorism backstop program is not extended beyond its current Dec. 31,...

Late News; Asbestos compromise talks break down.
May 10, 2004... Talks aimed at crafting compromise asbestos litigation reform legislation have ended without agreement. The failure of the discussions, which were mediated by U.S. Appeals Court Judge Edward Becker in Philadelphia, likely dooms the chances of...

WTC policy disputes continue; Swiss Re setback; prepares for new phase of litigation.(News)(World Trade Center )
May 10, 2004... Byline: DOUGLAS McLEOD NEW YORK-Silverstein Properties Inc. is heading into the next phase of the World Trade Center property insurance litigation with a nearly unbroken string of courtroom losses and uncertain prospects against the 10...

WTC archive, resources at BI.com.(News)
May 10, 2004... To help readers stay informed of insurance and risk management developments arising from the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, especially the ongoing World Trade Center insurance coverage litigation, we have compiled online a collection of...

Airlines, E.C. may clash over liability notice rules.(News)(European Commission )
May 10, 2004... Byline: DAVE LENCKUS BRUSSELS, Belgium-As commercial airlines in Europe move to reduce crash-related litigation by voluntarily assuming strict liability for passengers harmed on international flights, the airlines may face a new legal...

German in-house brokers subject to E.U. directive.(International)(European Union)(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... Byline: Carolyn Aldred BRUSSELS, Belgium-German companies' captive brokers will have to apply for licenses under a new European Union directive aimed at harmonizing the regulation of intermediaries. The E.U. Insurance Mediation...

Will British buyers need licenses? New E.U. directive to regulate insurance intermediaries may subject U.K. risk managers to FSA oversight.(International)
May 10, 2004... Byline: CAROLYN ALDRED BRUSSELS, Belgium-A directive designed to harmonize the oversight of insurance intermediaries throughout the European Union could also result in the regulation of some insurance buyers. In the United Kingdom,...

Workers comp fraud threatening industry, Berkshire chairman says.(News)
May 10, 2004... Byline: MARK A. HOFMANN OMAHA-Every dollar spent combating insurance fraud results in more than $10 in savings, according to the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. "There's plenty of fraud in various aspects of insurance,'' said...

Back up cyber risk submission with key data; Underwriters want to see documentation of computer system security plans.(Perspectives)
May 10, 2004... Byline: Brad Gow After five years of relatively modest growth, the demand for cyber risk insurance is now steadily accelerating as insurance buyers realize that network-based perils constitute a significant threat to corporate balance...

Legal Briefs: Injury while on call not compensable.(Perspectives)(Indy Associates)
May 10, 2004... An employee's injury, which occurred when he was attacked by unknown assailants while walking home from a bowling alley while "on call,'' did not occur during the course of employment so as to entitle him to workers compensation benefits, ruled...

401(k) participants slow to make changes: Survey.(News)
May 17, 2004... Byline: GREGORY CRAWFORD Participants in 401(k) plans tend to wait until stock market returns are extremely low before switching to fixed-income investments in a flight to safety. But when returns improve, they rarely switch back,...

Insurers, brokers on the lookout for new coverage needs.(Spotlight: Specialty Risks)
May 17, 2004... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS From maintaining research-and-development teams to gathering retail brokers into focus groups, insurers, managing general agents and wholesalers use several strategies to transform ideas into specialty insurance...

NCQA updating health plan evaluation program; 16th Annual National Managed Health Care Congress.(News)(National Committee for Quality Assurance)
May 17, 2004... Byline: JOANNE WOJCIK WASHINGTON-The National Committee for Quality Assurance is changing its accreditation program to reflect the times. When the NCQA created its Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set, or HEDIS, it focused on...

Law on gay marriage challenges employers.(News)
May 17, 2004... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD Employers with operations in Massachusetts are finding themselves caught in the crossfire between state and federal law as same-sex marriage becomes legal in the state. Employers must now contend with a myriad of...

Products & Services; Report examines man-made risks.(News)
May 17, 2004... ATLANTA-International insurance association LOMA has released a study on the risk management implications of man-made disasters. The study, "The New World of Risk,'' discusses the increase in underwriting for man-made catastrophes,...

Casino operations seen as good gamble for underwriters.(Spotlight: Specialty Risks)
May 17, 2004... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD Casino risks are, in some ways, an underwriter's dream-who better to understand the importance of risk management than a business in which everything relies on loss control? Loss control, in fact, is tied more...

Communication aids efforts to alter health benefits; 16th Annual National Managed Health Care Congress.(News)
May 17, 2004... Byline: JOANNE WOJCIK WASHINGTON-By treating its employees as if they were customers, Whirlpool Corp. is enlisting their support in the fight against rising health care costs. But this has not been an easy task, given that the company...

Many insurers wary of fallout from writing nuclear risks.(Spotlight: Specialty Risks)
May 17, 2004... Byline: GLORIA GONZALEZ Although the nuclear industry is heavily regulated and has an excellent safety record, most insurers have been reluctant to cover liability risks related to the handling, transportation and storage of nuclear waste....

Modeling may be used to target high-risk patients; 16th Annual National Managed Health Care Congress.(News)
May 17, 2004... Byline: JOANNE WOJCIK WASHINGTON-Technology will soon make it possible to identify who the high-risk patients are in any given group and determine what diseases they may be candidates for. While similar risk assessment has been widely...

Group seeks to help doctors obtain malpractice coverage; Lawyers' association seeks regulator guidance.(News)(American Health Lawyers Assn.)
May 17, 2004... Byline: Crain News Service WASHINGTON-The American Health Lawyers Assn. has joined a growing chorus of health care organizations and providers seeking guidance from federal regulatory agencies on how hospitals can "lawfully assist...

Pay-for-performance initiatives improve care quality, savings; 16th Annual National Managed Health Care Congress.(News)
May 17, 2004... Byline: JOANNE WOJCIK WASHINGTON-Because employers foot so much of the bill for the nation's health care, they have an obligation to make sure they are getting their money's worth, health benefit experts say. But, in order to do this,...

DIRECTV tunes in to risk factors for disability; 16th Annual National Managed Health Care Congress.(News)
May 17, 2004... Byline: JOANNE WOJCIK WASHINGTON-When DIRECTV Group Inc. discovered that workers in its newly acquired Boise, Idaho, call center had medical and pharmacy costs averaging twice those of its other employees, it decided to investigate. ...

Congress draws 5,000; 16th Annual National Managed Health Care Congress.(News)(Brief Article)
May 17, 2004... WASHINGTON-Approximately 5,000 health care executives and benefit managers attended the recent 16th Annual National Managed Health Care Congress. The event, held May 5-7 in Washington, also featured an invitation-only Employer Summit. To...

All agree we can't agree on asbestos trust fund.(Opinions)
May 17, 2004... A LOT OF PEOPLE have spent a lot of time trying to devise a workable trust fund to compensate victims of asbestos-related diseases. While they deserve gratitude for their efforts, it's now time to look for other approaches to cleaning up...

PBGC raises notification fines.(News)(Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.)
May 17, 2004... Byline: JERRY GEISEL WASHINGTON-Employers would face stiffer government penalties if they fail to notify pension plan participants that their plans are underfunded, under rules proposed this month by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. ...

Frontier rehabilitator suing MGA over fronted business.(News)(MGA Group L.L.C., Frontier Insurance Group Inc.)
May 17, 2004... Byline: DOUGLAS McLEOD NEW YORK-The rehabilitator of Frontier Insurance Co. is suing a California managing general agency, charging that the MGA withheld millions of dollars of premiums and failed to adequately fund a workers compensation...

Massachusetts employers denied jury redress of MCAD rulings.(News)(Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination)
May 17, 2004... Byline: JUDY GREENWALD BOSTON-Massachusetts employers unhappy with employment discrimination decisions by the state's anti-discrimination agency will no longer be able to have jury trials hear their cases, following a ruling by the state's...

Between the Lines; Good for the goose, good for the gander.(News)
May 17, 2004... Byline: Compiled by Joanne Wojcik When Benton Harbor, Mich.-based Whirlpool Corp. started offering its employees a consumer-driven health plan this year, not only did Janice Pushaw, director of global benefits strategy, sign up, so did the...

IRB privatization stalled, Gen Re exits Brazil.(International)(IRB Brasil Resseguros)
May 17, 2004... Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS SAO PAULO, Brazil-Local risk managers hoping for the privatization of Brazil's monopoly reinsurer, IRB-Brasil Re, will have an indefinite wait, several market participants predict. In the latest reaction to...

Health insurance coalition an innovative plan.(Opinions)
May 17, 2004... If health insurance were made more affordable, would more people purchase coverage, and would that extension help to control costs? A group of large employers evidently think so, because that clearly is the underlying assumption behind an...

New health insurer planned for India; First to operate without an international partner.(International)
May 17, 2004... Byline: MICHAEL BRADFORD NEW DELHI, India-A health care pioneer in India is blazing a new trail in the country's insurance market. Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, who in 1983 founded Apollo Hospitals Group, is in the early stages of establishing...