Aetna, UnitedHealth Win Part of $55 Billion for Military Health

[Joanne98]

July 14 (Bloomberg) -- Aetna Inc., UnitedHealth Group Inc. and closely held TriWest Healthcare Alliance Corp. won contracts with a value of as much as $55.5 billion to provide managed care over the next six years for the U.S. Defense Department.

Humana Inc. and Health Net Inc., which currently deliver health-care services to the military in two of the department’s three regions, lost the bidding process and said they may challenge or protest the contract awards.

TriCare Management Activity, the U.S. military health- insurance program that awarded the contracts, provides services for about 9.4 million members of the military, their families and retirees. The program, split into three regions, requested bids from managed care companies for the first time in five years. The new contracts, which begin in April, have a base period of 10 months and five one-year options, according to the Defense Department.

TriCare “and all the managed care contractors are dedicated to making a smooth transition with minimal impact on beneficiaries,” said Christine Hunter, deputy director of the program. “We will ensure that key information flows to all of our beneficiaries and stakeholders, in particular those affected by the changes in contractors or providers.”

Aetna was awarded a contract with a value of as much as $16.7 billion, the Pentagon said yesterday on its Web site. UnitedHealth’s contract has a value of as much as $21.8 billion, and TriWest won as much as $17 billion.


http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ax5g3_iZqFDw

[nightrain]

1. watch the transfer of funds from the people (taxes) to the health extortion corporations happen