title: The big squeeze. Insurers point to slower growth in premiums in past few years to show progress, but providers say they're paying the price.
abstract: While insurers last week were trumpeting the third straight year of slower growth in premiums, providers weren't exactly celebrating. That's because of huge mergers, which give insurers far more leverage and have led to reimbursements being cut back even more. "What's worrying us is that there's a growing segment (of insurers) that aren't going to budge an inch, no matter what," says Russ Weaver, left.
authors.forename: Laura B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Benko
mesh_terms: D017046:Cost Savings / Q000379:methods; D005249:Fees and Charges / Q000639:trends*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007343:Insurance Carriers; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement / Q000639:trends*; D007350:Insurance, Hospitalization / Q000191:economics* / Q000639:trends; D007357:Insurance, Physician Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States