title: Bigger, yes, but better? UnitedHealth Group's planned acquisition of Sierra Health leaves some wary of a trend that could disrupt service, payment.
abstract: "Oh no. Not again." That was one CEO's reaction to UnitedHealth's deal for Sierra, Nevada's top health insurer. Recent takeovers, including the WellPoint/Anthem deal, have left bad memories. "Since then, the race downward on payments has been dramatic, so you can see why these kinds of mergers create a lot of anxiety", says Lawrence Matheis, left.
authors.forename: Laura B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Benko
mesh_terms: D006273:Health Facility Merger; D006783:Hospitals, State / Q000191:economics; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000191:economics*; D007343:Insurance Carriers; D007344:Insurance Claim Reporting; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement / Q000639:trends*; D008910:Minnesota; D009505:Nevada; D015279:Organizational Culture; D010067:Ownership; D011340:Problem Solving