Walmart in early talks to buy Humana: report

[highplainsdem]

Source: The Hill

Walmart is reportedly in early talks to acquire health insurance company Humana, a move that could have huge implications for the retail giant while representing the latest major deal involving health care services.

The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday citing sources close to the talks that the companies are in the very early stages of a possible deal and have yet to agree on a price for Humana, which is currently valued at about $37 billion.

News of the possible deal sent shares of Humana climbing by nearly 12 percentage points late Thursday, according to a CNBC report.

Walmart's reported talks with Humana come just weeks after shareholders at CVS overwhelmingly approved a deal to buy Aetna, another major health insurer.

-snip-

Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/380944-walmart-in-early-acquisition-talks-with-humana-report

[democratisphere]

1. BEHEMOTH HEALTHCARE controlled by MEGALITHIC CORPORATIONS.

So much for competition in the healthcare industry. More like the healthcare cartel.

[thesquanderer]

2. I was going to say "what could go wrong?" except...

...I'm not sure they could make it worse.

[TheDebbieDee]

7. THIS!!!

If Walmart buys a health care delivery system and let's say, Amazon buys a health care delivery system and some other giant starts up a health care delivery system they'd have to keep prices low in order to be competitive with each other...

These systems could negotiate with US pharma for better prices for meds , then hopefully sell them to the patient at competitive prices... Just thinking about it...

[harun]

20. Exactly, what could possibly go wrong....

[Angry Dragon]

3. 5 corporations plan to buy the world

[harun]

21. The march to it is being met by thunderous applause

They won't be clapping when it is over and they realize every human has been reduced to a value that they bring to increasing the profits of those 5 corporations, and of course it won't be pretty for those in the low value bracket.

[lordsummerisle]

4. It won't be long before nearly everything will be controlled by Amazon or Walmart n/t

[Hoyt]

5. CVS is acquiring Aetna, Walmart has a large pharmaceutical component too.

First blush, doesn’t sound good, certainly not as good as single payer or public option. But, as someone above said, can they really make it worse.

[xor]

12. I kind of had the same thoughts...

I mean, how much more worse could they make it? I mean, maybe this will somehow open up some sort of options that many don't have. Still, I don't know if it's a good idea to underestimate their ability to really screw us over even more.

Whatever. I'll try to be more optimistic. I'll convince myself that these corporations view it as being in their interest to help the citizens of our great country receive affordable medicine and healthcare.

[Hoyt]

17. Assuming for the moment that single payer, public option are out to the question, I would not mind

a few large, well coordinated, health systems that premiums, benefits, etc., are easy to compare. I think that is better than a bunch of small systems -- many just local plans that leave you seeing out-of-network providers when you travel out of your area -- that are hard to compare.

There are definitely risks of a few large systems, but there are also risks with a bunch of small systems/plans.

Again, I'm only trying to be optimistic knowing single payer, public option is likely out of the question right now.

[Lonestarblue]

19. Yes, they can and will make it worse.

Imagine Walmart’s cost-cutting tactics. You need a heart transplant—forget it. You need a new, expensive drug for cancer treatment—forget it. You need treatment for anything beyond the least-expensive procedures—forget it or pay exorbitant insurance premiums for higher levels of coverage. They certanly won’t have patient health in mind. And when Walmart restructures the Humana workforce to have them work 30 hours or less per week to avoid paying benefits, your doctor’s request for approval of treatment might take months to get through a part-time system. Meanwhile, you’re dead.

[Hoyt]

22. They'd be in constant law-suits. I think it is easier to control 4 or 5 large plans, than

hundreds, thousands of smaller local plans that we have now.

And these big plans are betting they will be able to attract people with lower premiums, higher quality scores, national coverage.

Also, that makes it easy for the government to nationalize them one day, or at least contract directly with these plans.

Again, this is what we have to hope for as long as single payer, public option are just a pipe-dream.


I can tell you this, I had Kaiser for awhile and I liked it a lot. It's a coordinated system, they really prefer to keep you healthy, I didn't mind having to see their doctors, etc. If I'm sick, just tell me where to go because I'm not interested in hunting for doctors who'll take me and probably aren't a bit better than the employed Kaiser docs.

[enid602]

30. Insurance

Let's see if this will mean that Walmart employees will get reasonable health insurance.

[Hoyt]

32. Actually, according to Arkansas Times, that is a real possibility. Its becoming a trend.

“One other possible factor: Walmart employs 1.5 million people, and offers health coverage to those working more than 30 hours per week. Owning a health insurance company could streamline coverage costs.”

[rurallib]

6. considering how they treat their employees

it would scare me to have Wally for health care

[flibbitygiblets]

8. My first thought too: Does this mean they'll start providing health insurance to their employees?

Of course not.

[Hoyt]

33. According to Arkansas Times, thats possible.

“One other possible factor: Walmart employs 1.5 million people, and offers health coverage to those working more than 30 hours per week. Owning a health insurance company could streamline coverage costs. “

[Canoe52]

15. You summed it up perfectly right there, nothing further needs to be said.

[bucolic_frolic]

9. It's great to know you will be able to

load your cart with pesticides and then go sit in the waiting room to watch Faux with people who barely know they are there

I thought the headline was a joke

I'm never going to a doctor voluntarily unless it's a dire emergency

I really fear them

[GoneOffShore]

10. I read that as 'Walmart in early talks to buy Humans'.

And wasn't surprised.

[Bayard]

11. Snorf!

Good one!

Remember when Walmart was a fledgling company started by Sam Walton? I would imagine he would not recognize, or approve of, what his daughters have done with the company.

[dalton99a]

13. WTF.

[DeminPennswoods]

14. There are health clinics co-located at Walmart stores

I know there are health clinics similar to MedXpress at at least some Walmart stores in addition to their pharmacies. Medical care seems to be moving rapidly away from in hospital stays. Maybe Walmart, CVS, Amazon see the future as more wellness and clinic-based medicine.

It could work out that Walmart brings primary medical care to areas that are currently unserved or underserved. It's kind of perverse, but healthy/healthier people have more money to spend at Walmart.

[Canoe52]

16. I always saw the healthiest people when I used to go to Walmart.

[DeminPennswoods]

24. You missed the point, I think

People who are burdened by high medical bills because they can't find and/or afford regular check ups. From a consumer-based business perspective, it makes sense to expand access to primary care so potential customers have increased discretionary spending money.

[Canoe52]

25. I totally got all your points, my response stands.

[DeminPennswoods]

27. OK, whatever

nt

[MontanaMama]

26. An insurance company has only

one obligation and that is to its shareholders. They are not in business to help people. Quite the opposite in fact, they are in business to turn profits their shareholders. Walmart is in the same business of making as much money as possible for their own shareholders. Their employees will continue to get short shrift as well as anybody insured by Humana. I was an insurance biller for a medical practice for 21 years. Insurance is organized crime. Universal healthcare for all!

[DeminPennswoods]

28. I agree the profit motive should be taken out of health insurance

I've had plenty of interaction with health insurers over the past 5 years.

I'm just saying maybe there's a win-win in here somewhere, but time will tell.

[gfwzig]

18. so health-care under the Wamrat business plan would include-------

extremely long lines for service, even longer lines to check out, low quality drugs from china, etc? I can hardly wait!

[Ilsa]

29. "No, you don't get to meet your doctor except over Skype."

"He's in China. If you want to understand him, learn chinese."

[csziggy]

23. Insurance pirates!

[Luciferous]

31. The company that can't provide health insurance for their employees is

buying a health insurance company?!

[Hoyt]

34. They actually do. To be fair, I did not know they had changed until I looked.

It’s a pretty standard plan. Covers about what most companies offer. It reasonably cheap. Again, it’s not one of those cushy plans, but still decent compared to what most companies offer.

[Luciferous]

35. From what I found online, a lot of Wal-Mart employees don't qualify because 40% of their

employees are working part-time, and for the ones that do qualify the plans are expensive and have extremely high deductibles. How many people working for $10/hr. can afford a 3 grand deductible?!

[Hoyt]

36. Thats pretty much true in every business, not just Walmart.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been a supporter of single payer since late 1970s. I now feel public option is fastest way forward.

But Walmart now provides a health plan similar to other companies. And if acquiring Humana that has contracts with providers improve that plan, I’m all for it until we wise up an enact something better.

[PatrickforO]

37. Just what we need - WalMart bean counters deciding to deny your treatment.

Great.