Small Business Resources, Business Advice and Forms from AllBusiness.com

On the mend: buoyed by big rate hikes and tighter cost controls, healthcare stocks are soaring -...

By Finotti, John
Publication: Florida Trend
Date: Saturday, June 1 2002

No pain, no gain, right? In the zerosum game of healthcare that's what's happening these days. As businesses, especially small firms, and their workers reel from eye-popping increases in the cost of health insurance, investors in health insurance stocks are dancing a jig. That's because higher insurance rates now being charged are outpacing medical care costs.

Health insurance shares have taken off lately as one insurer after another posted better-than-expected first-quarter earnings. Leading the pack has been UnitedHealth Group. The Minneapolis-based company saw profi

In addition, make sure to read these premium articles also available with your free trial:

T T T
art_print Printart_email Email 16x16-digg-guy  Digg It delicious-small  del.icio.us

Related Resources

Free AllBusiness Articles

  • PPOs: the next generation in affordable health care for the small business market.
    • As the cost of providing health care rises, employers and employees are feeling the impact in their pocketbooks. But none feel the grip as hard as small business owners and their employees. "We are facing a true crisis of affordability," says Walter Zelman, president of the California Association of Health ......
  • Where do the sick go? Health insurance and employmentin small and large firms.
    • 1. Introduction The difficulties that small firms face in obtaining and maintaining health insurance for their employees have been widely documented (Brown, Hamilton, and Medoff 1990; McLaughlin 1992; Fronstin and Helman 2000). Only 45% of firms with fewer than 50 employees offer health insurance, compared to 97% of firms with ......
  • Open up and say ouch! (Health Insurance).
    • Like most small CPA firms, Rowbotham and Co. isn't holding its breath for health insurance rates to drop. While making a conscious effort to offer a good, low-cost health plan, the San Francisco-based firm doesn't know how much longer it can hold off the rising insurance rates. "If rates continue ......
  • Open up and say ouch!
    • Like most small CPA firms, Rowbotham and Co. isn't holding its breath for health insurance rates to drop. While making a conscious effort to offer a good, low-cost health plan, the San Francisco-based firm doesn't know how much longer it can hold off the rising insurance rates. "If rates continue ......
  • The healthcare industry in the Valley: small employer health insurance benefits are a big deal.
    • Small businesses are looking for affordable health insurance for themselves and their employees, but at what cost? By opting out of the health insurance market, businesses owners and individuals may find themselves digging deeper in their pockets when an unexpected injury or illness occurs. If the cost of health insurance ......
  • Rx for high health insurance costs.
    • Reduce your bottom line Are health insurance costs making you sick? If you get a migraine just thinking about the answer, you are not alone' Businesses large and small are getting hit with their steepest premium hikes in a decade. "Health insurance rates are rising as much as 15% for ......
  • Small businesses urge staffers to forego insurance
    • As health insurance costs soar, a growing number of small businesses are offering incentives to workers who forgo the company medical plan. Some 14 percent of businesses with fewer than 200 employees offer lump-sum salary increases, cash rebates and contributions to employee benefits accounts as incentives to not participate in ......

Business Guides

Forms

Blogs

  • The Top 10 Regs Small Businesses Love to Hate
    • Government red tape is a growing problem that seems to know no end. But small business can help stem the tide by fingering the worst regulations. Here's how.
  • SMBs Thankful, but 'Let Down' by Stimulus Package
    • Small business groups are thankful for the economic stimulus package, but some advocates say the benefits are too temporary and too small to really help.
  • Small Business Health Insurance Still A Stinky Issue
    • It seems our country does a whole bunch of talking about healthcare relief for small business owners, but we don't take much action. Providing a healthcare benefit to employees is a key issue in the war for good talent. Here's how it stacked up in a recent survey commissioned by ......
  • Health insurance rates increases may be slowing
    • Preliminary results released today from Milliman´s 2006 Group Health Insurance Survey indicate the lowest rate increase in seven years. This is the fourth year in a row in which the rate of increase has declined. The 2007 estimated January renewal increase of 9.7% for Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) is 0.9% ......
  • All Bloggers

Podcast

Related Topics
Tools

Sponsored Links

Site Map | Contact Us | FAQs | About Us | Media Kit | Reprints | RSS Directory | Sign Up for Free Newsletters | Disclosure Policy

Copyright © 1999 - 2008 AllBusiness.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
No part of this content or the data or information included therein may be reproduced,
republished or redistributed without the prior written consent of AllBusiness.com.
Use of this site is governed by our Copyright and Intellectual Property Policy, Terms of Use Agreement and Privacy Policy.

Get In-Depth Company Information from Hoover's | Buy a D&B Credit Report | What is in Your Company's D&B Credit Report? | Article Archives
Online Business Database | Online Business Information | Sales and Marketing Solutions | Business Mailing Lists
Information and opinions on AllBusiness.com solely represent the thoughts and opinions of the authors and are not endorsed by, or reflect the beliefs of,
AllBusiness.com, its parent company D&B, and its affiliates.