HMO Enrollment Decreases, Though Decline Appears to be Slowing

InterStudy Publications Releases Updated HMO Directory

ST. PAUL, Minn. (PRWEB) April 10, 2002 -- According to the most recent addition of the Competitive Edge HMO Directory released by InterStudy Publications, total HMO enrollment continues to decline, dropping from 78.9 million enrollees as of July 1, 2000 to 78.0 million as of July 1, 2001. The number of HMOs also continues to drop, falling to 531 as of July 1, 2001.

The InterStudy Competitive Edge HMO Directory (version 12.1) is compiled using data collected directly from HMOs through the twice-yearly InterStudy National HMO Census, providing a comprehensive look at the HMO industry as of July 1, 2001. The HMO Directory profiles full-service HMOs across the nation, presenting enrollment figures, service areas, addresses and key personnel for each HMO. Enrollment figures are broken down by lines of business, including group/commercial, Medicare, Medicaid, and open-ended (point-of-service) products, as well as several other categories. The HMO Directory also chronicles changes in the HMO industry, with extensive listings of mergers and acquisitions, plans no longer in business, and other consolidations.

The HMO Directory is used by health care analysts around the country to track competing HMOs. They also use it to compare HMO growth in various states or regions. The HMO Directory identifies key players in a given state and presents each HMO profile in a consistent manner for easy comparison. It also provides information on changes in providers and enrollment for the past three years to allow for extended comparisons.
Continuing a trend first seen in the Competitive Edge 10.2, which presented data as of January 1, 2000, total HMO enrollment once again showed an annual decrease. As of July 1, 2001 there were 78.0 million HMO enrollees, down from 78.9 million enrollees as of the same date in 2000. This loss of over 850,000 HMO enrollees represents a 1.1% decrease in total HMO enrollment from July 1, 2000 to July 1, 2001.

The total number of HMOs listed in the InterStudy HMO Directory decreased to 531 plans; down from 560 HMOs as of July 1, 2000. Only five new HMOs were added to the HMO Directory 12.1 while 15 plans were removed due to terminations, mergers, acquisitions or consolidations within the industry. While the overall number of HMOs continues to decrease, the falloff appears to be slowing from the dramatic number of plan closures over the past several years.

Detailed analysis of the trends in HMO enrollment is forthcoming in the HMO Industry Report 12.1, which will be available for purchase in April. The HMO Industry Report will examine changes in HMO enrollment by product line, provide lists of the top 25 largest and fastest growing HMOs and detail HMO enrollment by state. It will also include an analysis of HMO provider reimbursement methods and HMO pharmacy information such as pharmacy expenses, pharmacy utilization and control, and the use of pharmacy benefit management companies (PBMs).

InterStudy Publications, a publications firm specializing in research and reports for market driven health care, publish the InterStudy Competitive Edge series semi-annually. The HMO Directory is the first of this three-part series on HMOs. Part II, The HMO Industry Report, analyzes plan growth and characteristics associated with growth in HMOs. Part III, The Regional Market Analysis, examines market structure and dynamics of metropolitan markets served by HMOs. The complete InterStudy Competitive Edge series (Parts I, II and III) is available from InterStudy for $795 (prepaid). Each book is also sold separately. The HMO Directory and Industry Report are available for $285 each (prepaid) and the Regional Market Analysis is available for $315 (prepaid). If you have any questions or would like to place an order please call 1-800-844-3351, or visit our web site at www.interstudypublications.com.

Contact:
Tammy Lauer
(tlauer@interstudypublications.com) or
Krista Bray Jenkyn (kjenkyn@interstudypublications.com) at 1-800-844-3351