Index 2004: Coverage by health plan

Aetna - CIGNA - Health Care Services Corp. - Health Net - Highmark - Humana - Kaiser Permanente - Oxford - PacifiCare - Regence - United - WellPoint - 2003 - 2005

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Aetna Inc. 2004

Aetna, based in Hartford, Conn., is one of the nation's largest health insurers, with operations in all 50 states. Aetna has converted from a general insurance to health insurance only, in part thanks to acquisitions such as U.S. Healthcare and Prudential's health unit in the Northeast and NYLCare's operations in Texas.

Aetna buys back its mental health division - Dec. 27
Judge clears Aetna settlement - Briefs Oct. 18
Aetna creating new system for managing migraines - Sept. 13
Physician feedback encouraged as health plan settlement shakes out - July 26
Aetna targets costs, expands tiered network of specialists - July 26
Aetna unveils end-of-life benefits - Briefs May 24/31
Union seeks to limit Aetna execs' pay - April 12
Helping Aetna get religion: Doctor panel gives insurer a chance for salvation - Editorial Feb. 2

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CIGNA Health Care 2004

CIGNA, based in Philadelphia, is a rarity -- a health insurer that is involved in other kinds of insurance as well. CIGNA is strongest in the Northeast and West. It's the third-largest private health insurer in the nation.

Physician feedback encouraged as health plan settlement shakes out - July 26
CIGNA settlement gets final OK - Briefs May 10
Appeals court upholds rejection of first CIGNA settlement - Briefs March 22/29
With membership down, CIGNA plans cuts - March 1
Judge OKs CIGNA settlement with doctors - Feb. 23

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Health Care Service Corp. 2004

The Chicago-based company owns Blue Cross Blue Shield-affiliated plans in Illinois, Texas and New Mexico.

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Health Net 2004

The Woodland Hills, Calif.-based company operates health plans in the West and Northeast.

Health Net gets fined - Briefs May 10

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Highmark 2004

Highmark, based in Pittsburgh, runs Blues plans in western Pennsylvania.

Highmark closes wellness centers - Briefs April 26
Highmark makes plans for surplus - Briefs Feb. 16

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Humana Inc. 2004

Humana, based in Louisville, Ky., once was a for-profit hospital company before jettisoning that business in favor of insurance. It is particularly strong in the South.

Humana, physicians in Ohio settle - Briefs Jan. 26

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Kaiser Permanente 2004

Kaiser Foundation Health Plans, based in Oakland, Calif., have among the last of the staff-model HMOs. The company runs physician groups, hospitals and health plans in 11 Western, Midwestern and Southeastern states, plus Washington, D.C. It's the largest nonprofit HMO in the country.

Northern California physicians flock to Kaiser Permanente - Dec. 13
Kaiser unveils ad campaign - Briefs Oct. 11
Kaiser cited as staffing model - Feb. 23
Kaiser offers online health info - Briefs Feb. 16
HPV tests becoming part of cervical cancer screening - Feb. 2

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Oxford Health Plans 2004

The Connecticut-based company operates health plans mostly in the Northeast.

United-Oxford merger still facing legal challenge - Sept. 27
Health plan mega-mergers stalled - Aug. 16
Oxford CEO could get big payment - Briefs June 7
Review urged for United-Oxford deal - May 17

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PacifiCare Health Systems 2004

PacifiCare, based in Santa Ana, Calif., runs private health plans mostly in the West and Southwest. It jumped into Medicare managed care further than most plans, and as a result the company has had some financial struggles.

PacifiCare ordered to pay $6.9 million to bankrupt IPA - Oct. 11
PacifiCare buys Wis. HMO - Briefs Oct. 4
PacifiCare CEO to be board chair - Briefs March 15

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The Regence Group 2004

The Portland, Ore.-based company owns Blue Cross Blue Shield-affiliated plans in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Utah.

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UnitedHealth Group 2004

UnitedHealth Group, based in Minnetonka, Minn., runs its health plans under its UnitedHealthcare subsidiary. Its presence is strongest in the Midwest and South; it is the nation's second largest private health insurer.

North Carolina doctors sue UnitedHealthcare - June 7

WellPoint-Anthem

WellPoint Health Services, based in Woodland Hills, Calif., is the nation's largest managed care company and the largest owner of Blue Cross Blue Shield-affiliated plans; Indianapolis-based Anthem Inc. is one of the largest operators of Blue Cross Blue Shield plans. The companies were scheduled to complete a merger in summer 2004 creating the largest private health plan in the country, called WellPoint and based in Indianapolis.