Health Insurance

Industry Information about Health Insurance
Health insurance is provided on an indemnity basis by commercial carriers and Blue Cross & Blue Shield plans. Under indemnity insurance, the insurer pays the insured directly for physician or hospital costs for which the insured is covered. Other providers of health insurance consist of specialty health insurers, private plans, employer plans, and government plans. The United States Census Bureau: Health Insurance provides information on which type of health care is appropriate for every situation and US state.

Recent Trends in Health Insurance
In 2002, enrollment in PPO or preferred-provider organizations, plans grew to 52 percent of all insured employees, compared to only 28 percent in 1996. During the same time period, enrollment in HMOs decreased from 31 percent to 26 percent. Life insurance companies, which endorse health plans as well, numbered around 1,500 in 2001 and took in a total of $472 billion in premiums. Health insurance in Jacksonville and Tampa, Florida has remained substantial, because Florida-based Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., which is the largest individual life and health insurance company in the United States. Health insurance in Boston hasn’t done as well. Because of HMOs and other managed care organizations assertively increasing their enrollment, commercial carriers such Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. and John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Co. left the health insurance industry in 1996.

Businesses in This Category
This industry includes establishments that offer health insurance protection for disability income losses and medical expense coverage on an indemnity basis.  Establishments are mainly engaged in providing hospital, medical and other health services.