Medical Loss

Feel like you're not getting enough of the premium pie?

The following statistics are cited from:
American Medical News, March 6, 2006, Jonathan G. Bethely

Medical-loss ratios for 2005 (Source: Company 10-K, year-end filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission):

76.9% - Aetna
82.3% - Cigna
83.9% - Health Net
83.2% - Humana
78.6% - UnitedHealth Group
80.6% - WellPoint

The medical loss reflects the amount of premius spent on actual medical expenses. So, if insurers had the same financial margin as most of the hospitals that they claim are over-reimbursed (e.g. 0-5%), then we could save the consumer (or purchaser) about 18% in health care premium costs each year. Hmmm....