The Big Picture Updated

This NYHealth-funded, United Hospital Fund report, “The Big Picture Updated,” provides an analysis of more recent activity in New York’s private markets and public health insurance programs.

It follows up on a report released by the United Hospital Fund in October 2009, “The Big Picture: Private and Public Health Insurance Markets in New York,” which provided a comprehensive review of New York’s commercial, Medicare, Medicaid, and self-funded insurance markets.

According to “The Big Picture Updated,” health plans in 2008 endured the consequences of a challenging economy by maintaining profitability and ample reserves through programs such as Medicare Advantage—which accounted for profit margins of approximately $400 million—and growing enrollment in public insurance programs. At the same time, commercial group enrollment declined by more than 500,000, but health plans collected more than $46 billion in premiums for coverage in 2008, an 11% increase compared to 2006. The report also finds that HMOs earned less on their small group business than on their individual and Healthy NY products