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The article presents an overview of the impact that a delay in the creation of health care reform legislation and a recession in the U.S. may have on the future of the growth of the health maintenance organization UnitedHealth Group Inc., which is led by chief executive officer Stephen Hemsley. A discussion of a decline in growth which was seen before the recession at UnitedHealth, Coventry Health Care Inc. and Cigna Healthcare Inc. is presented. Financial problems which have been seen at UnitedHealth over the course of two decades are discussed.

Discusses the factors that should be considered when evaluating a managed care organization's financial health. Merger policy; Physician turnover; Premium inflation; Size and longevity.

Discusses health care economics and cost-control strategies necessary to slow the growth in national health care expenditures. Health care market practices; Decline in hospital utilization; Oversupply of physicians; Growth of medical technology; Better health care management; Health payments based on local rates.

Reports that health maintenance organizations (HMO), which once competed to offer lower costs, must prove that they provide quality care in order to be competitive. The number of United States workers belonging to an HMO or other type of managed care plan; Information on investing in publicly traded HMOs.

Analyzes the impact of Boren Amendment's repeal by Balanced Budget Act of 1997 to long term care providers in the United States. Provisions under Boren Amendment; Savings secondary to repeal of Boren Amendment as reported by Congressional Budget Office; Impact of low Medicaid reimbursement rates to long term care providers; Views of executives of health maintenance organizations on Boren Amendment's repeal.

Assesses the financial performance of health maintenance organizations (HMOs) in Central New York in 1996. Trend among HMOs toward declining profits; Areas of loss for Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Central New York; Non-increase of premiums by HMOs; Comments of industry experts on the financial aspects of HMOs; Chart comparing finances of different HMOs.

Reports that health maintenance organizations (HMO) lost 15% of their stock market value after warnings of disappointing earnings at U.S. Healthcare Inc. emerged in April 1995. Argument that Wall Street and the media overreacted; How strong positive signs in the HMO industry were overlooked; How three large HMOs--Humana, Mid Atlantic Medical Services and Oxford Health Plans--all reported better than expected first-quarter earnings in 1995; Other HMO stocks.

Presents information on California Governor Gray Davis' health care reform. Reactions of health care providers, on Davis' health policy; Discussion on the health maintenance organization reform, nursing home industries and Medi-Cal program; Details on the campaign contributions to push the policy against health plan abuses.

Reports on the implementation of a strict regimen of financial therapy at Ochsner Health Plan and Southeast Medical Alliance, two of Louisiana's biggest health maintenance organizations. Losses posted by the two companies in 1999; Similarity of the two companies' financial condition; Difference between the two companies' financial rehabilitation programs.

Explains the increasing consolidation of health maintenance organizations in the United States. Most companies losing money; Purchase of Prudential Health Care by Aetna Inc.; Less competition and higher costs expected for 1999; Concerns of consumer groups; Pressure on Congress to regulate the industry.

Focuses on the effect of higher costs and more mergers on health maintenance organization (HMO) rates. Extent to which some premiums will rise in advance of the fall 1999 benefits-enrollment season; Outlook for 2000 rate increases; Employers' response, and interest in overseeing HMOs.

Several charts are presented depicting the stock performance of various industries in the U.S. as of July 23, 1990, including health maintenance organizations, gold mining, and the building industry and stocks of firms such as United Healthcare, Newmont Mining, and Kaufman & Broad Home.

The article presents information on the requirements of the health maintenance organization, Oxford Health Plans Inc. The company is looking to hire a new management team for its board. It is stated that Oxford Health needs $100 million to $200 million in cash to meet the loses it expects for 1997. Founder, Stephen Wiggins, role in running Oxford Health may decline as financing for Oxford Health may come through venture capital or a takeover.

Features the market for health maintenance organization (HMO) stocks. Reduction of profit margins as employers demand better deals from HMOs; Overvaluation of stock prices; Peaking of market.

An interview with Wellington Management Co. LLP senior vice president Ann Gallo is presented. She provides an overview of the firm's Hartford Global Health Fund and gives reasons why 2010 is a good time for investing in health care. She states that Wellington Management Co. LLP applies a bottom-up approach to choosing subsector weights and that the health fund is presently sector-neutral. She also maintains a strong position on health maintenance organization (HMO) stocks.

Discusses the financial condition of hospitals and health maintenance organizations (HMO) in the United States. Revenue posted by hospitals and HMOs; Market status of the industry; Comment from several industry executives.

Discusses the accumulation of big cash reserves by Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) in the United States. Pros and cons of such accumulation; Justification of accumulation by the need to expand territorial markets of HMOs; Argument that market forces and competition will force HMOs to lower premium charges.

Reports the financial performance of health maintenance organizations (HMO) in Louisiana for the second quarter of 2000. Impact of the financial performance on patients' choice of hospitals; Account of the increase in HMO premiums; Approaches of insurers in lowering the health care costs.

Reveals that the expansion of the health maintenance organization Integrated Health Services (IHS) resulted into bankruptcy filing. Health services diversified by IHS; Business loses of the company; Analysis on the bankruptcy filed by the firm.

Describes a benefit package design that could help resolve the dilemma of long-term care providers. State of labor market and implications; Types of benefits; Consideration of tax effects; Tax Reform Act of 1984; Nondiscrimation rules; Review of health insurance plan; Flexible benefits or `cafeteria' plans; Compensation and benefits plan.

Reports on the use of capitation as payment system in a health maintenance organization. Payment of the physician of a per-member fee; Advantages of capitation; Drawbacks of capitation.

Reports on the surging market performance of newly created health maintenance organizations (HMOs) due to healthcare reform and market forces. Growth rate of start-up HMOs in 1992; Hurdles to entry into HMOs; States with high HMO penetration; For-profit inclination of HMOs in 1985.

Reports on Citizen Action's findings that health insurance and provider interests increased their political contributions during the first 13 months of the 1993-1994 congressional elections. Percentage increase; Top five contributors; Senate and House recipients of funds.

Deals with the financial conditions of Oxford Health Plans and Kaiser Permanente for the second quarter of 1998. Factors that influenced the companies' finances; Posted earnings of Oxford Health Plans; Response of both companies on their situation.

Discusses how acting like insurers help Pennsylvania hospitals' health maintenance organization (HMO) financially. Information on HMO's Alliance Health Network; Support of doctors on the alliance; Area hospitals that have undisclosed amounts in the Alliance.

Reveals the losses of two largest hospital-owned health maintenance organizations (HMO) in Oklahoma in 1997. Losses of Integris's HMO; Minority stockholders in the HMO; Chief executive officer of Integris.

Examines the impact of the public's opinion of health maintenance organizations (HMOs), on the earnings generated in the health care industry. Reference to some of the negative publicity which have been associated with HMOs; Details on the losses attained by PacifiCare Health Systems.

Focuses on the delay in some health maintenance organizations in the United States in settling provider claims. Reference to the issue surrounding Oxford Health Plans in early 1997; Factors to which this problem is usually attributed; Reference to the bill-paying record of hospitals; Comments from different individuals. INSET: Cracking down on collections..

States that first quarter earnings for health maintainence organizations (HMOs) in the United States increased due to the increases of rates, while making reference to the fact that mergers and acquisitions are expected to continue throughout 1997. How HMO analysts reacted to the first quarter results; How were these results described; Information on individual company results.

Opinion. Presents ways in which health maintenance organizations (HMO) can work effectively for doctors and patients. Ways to offset risks said to be inherent in HMOs; Attractiveness of HMOs to employers; The economics of HMOs; The history of doctor and patient interaction with HMOs; Valid and invalid concerns of HMO providers; The need for HMOs which manage costs and provide access to quality services.

Discusses the profitability and liquidity of health maintenance organizations (HMO) in the United States. Financial ratings of health-care companies; Standard & Poor's publication of involuntary ratings; Weiss Ratings' provision of financial grades free of any possible conflict of interest; HMOs with high financial ratings.

Discusses the opportunities that lie in health care-related investments as they appreciate in the wake of the defeat of President Bill Clinton's reform plan. Benefits to health maintenance organizations; Cases involving G.T. Global Health Care Fund and Franklin Global Health Care; Spotlight on United Health Care, Pacific Care Health Systems and Health Systems International; Finding the right time to buy.

Presents information on the financial performance of the health maintenance organizations for the first half of 1998 in New York state. Total losses suffered by 10 organizations; Background information on the performance of organizations in 1997; What contributed to the performance of organizations.

Presents stock analyst Kenneth Abramowitz's advice concerning health care stocks in the United States. Predictions for the Clinton health reform plan; Need for caution; Preference for health maintenance organizations (HMOs), preferred provider organizations (PPOs) and cost-control companies.

Focuses on capitation as a form of medical service provider reimbursement in health maintenance organizations (HMO) in the United States. Debate over primary care physician risks; American Medical Association's `New Directions in Physician Payment' conference.

Reports that seven health maintenance organizations (HMO) serving the New Orleans, Louisiana have showed an increase in net income for the fiscal year 1993. Study on the financial performance of the HMOs by Louisiana Department of Insurance; Factors attributed in the rise of profitability of the HMOs; Implications of the increase in the revenues of the health maintenance organizations.

The article provides an information on Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) that is often linked with local comprehensive health service systems or prepaid group health practice in the U.S. HMO imposed on financial reporting and periodic examinations of such reports by certified public accountants are required. The principal characteristic of an HMO is to promote a comprehensive range of medical services in a single organization to assure patient's convenient accessibility. Adequate amount of technical information is needed in order to make a system effective it must have.