Health Net
Health Net, LLC, a subsidiary of Centene Corporation, is an American health care insurance provider. Health Net and its subsidiaries provide health plans for individuals, families, businesses and people with Medicare and Medicaid.[1]
![]() | |
Type | Subsidiary |
---|---|
Industry | Managed health care |
Headquarters | Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California |
Key people | J. Brian Ternan (CEO) |
Products | Health insurance |
Number of employees | 3,000 |
Parent | Centene |
Website | www |
In July 2015, Centene announced it would acquire Health Net for $6.8 billion[2] and completed its acquisition in March 2016.[3]
History
Health Net was established as the nonprofit Health Net of California in 1977 by Blue Cross.[4] In 1992, a California order permitted the company to convert from a nonprofit to a for-profit company.[5] Under the terms of the California Department of Corporations' conversion order, the California Wellness Foundation, the successor charity to its nonprofit status, received $300 million plus 80 percent of the equity of Health Net's parent holding company.[5]
In August 1993, Health Net merged with Qualmed to form Health Systems International.[6][7] In April 1997, Health Systems International merged with Foundation Health Corporation to form Foundation Health Systems.[8] Also in 1997, Foundation Health Systems acquired PACC Health Plans and Physicians Health Services.[8][9]
In November 2000, Foundation Health Systems changed its name to Health Net, Inc. when the company started trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol HNT.[10]
In July 2009, UnitedHealth Group bought Health Net's northeastern licensed subsidiaries for $510 million, and its Medicare and Medicaid businesses for $60 million.[11] In November 2009, Connecticut's attorney general office investigated a lost, unencrypted hard drive with customer data.[12] Health Net offered two years of free credit protection from a company called Debix to affected customers.[12]
In November 2010, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) suspended Health Net for marketing and enrolling new members for compliance issues.[13] The sanctions were lifted in August 2011.[13] In January 2012, the company agreed to sell its Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) business to CVS Caremark Corp. (CVS) for approximately $160 million in cash.[14][15] Health Net continued to providing prescription drug plans as part of its Medicare Advantage plans.[16]
Post Centene merger
On July 2, 2015, Centene Corporation announced it would acquire Health Net for $6.8 billion.[2] The acquisition was completed in March 2016 and combined headquarters were established in St. Louis, Missouri.[2][3] The acquisition resulted in Health Net Federal Services (HNFS) becoming a separate subsidiary of Centene.[17][18]
In 2018, Health Net in Arizona was merged into other Centene holdings to form Arizona Complete Health.[19] The following year, in September 2019, Brian Ternan was appointed CEO of Health Net.[20]
In 2018, Health Net earned Prestigious Commendable Accreditation Status from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).[21]
Lawsuits and controversies
In 2007, Patsy Bates, a California beautician, sued Health Net claiming that the company wrongfully terminated her care during chemotherapy treatments.[22] During the case, a company employee performance review revealed that a manager had tied bonuses for an analyst in charge of rescission reviews to the rate of enrollees whose coverage was discontinued.[22] Health Net claimed that Bates withheld health information, including a heart problem, that would have disqualified her from coverage.[22] Bates replied that the insurance broker had filled out the form for her.[22] In February 2008, the court ruled in Bates' favor and ordered Health Net to over $9 million in damages.[23]
In 2008, Health Net agreed to pay $215M to settle allegations that it had unfairly reimbursed out-of-network providers between 1995 and 2007.[24]
In September 2012, the Los Angeles County Medical Association and two patients sued Health Net for denying medically necessary treatment, including cancer care.[25] The lawsuit alleged that Health Net denied claims based on its own definition of "medical necessity" rather than standards set forth by California law.[25] A judge ruled in Health Net's favor in July 2013.[26]
In 2021, Health Net agreed to pay $97M to settle allegations that it had duplicated or inflated claims submitted to the Department of Veterans Affairs.[27]
Divisions and subsidiaries
Health Net insurance Health Net offers managed health care benefits through individual and employer health plans and government programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid.[2][28]
See also
References
- Beck, Melinda (2010-03-09). "When Anger Is An Illness". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2021-09-20.
- Bray, Chad (2015-07-02). "Centene to Acquire Its Managed Care Rival Health Net for $6.8 Billion (Published 2015)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
- Liss, Samantha (24 March 2016). "Centene completes Health Net deal". St. Louis Post Dispatch. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
- Stassel, Stephanie (28 September 1991). "Paul Wilson; Sunkist Executive, Founding Chairman of Health Net". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
- Peltz, James F. (February 8, 1992). "Health Net Wins For-Profit Status : * Medicine: The state lets the Woodland Hills-based HMO convert from a nonprofit organization after it agrees to cede majority ownership to a foundation". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
- Lee, Don (31 August 1993). "Rivals Health Net, QualMed Agree to Merge : Health care: The strategic alliance would give the two HMOs a combined 1.2 million customers in six Western states". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
- Freudenheim, Milt (1995-03-28). "Company News; 2 California Health Care Providers Agree to a $1.8 Billion Merger (Published 1995)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
- "Foundation Health Will Buy Physicians Health, as Expected". Wall Street Journal. 1997-05-09. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
- Brock, Kathy (13 April 1997). "Health care giant swallows PACC". Portland Business Journal.
- "Foundation Health Systems Now Known as Health Net". Los Angeles Times. 21 November 2000. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
- Bordonaro, Greg (4 December 2009). "State approves UnitedHealthcare, Health Net Merger". Hartford Business Journal. Archived from the original on 2013-02-16. Retrieved 2013-02-01.
- Mearian, Lucas (2009-11-19). "Health Net says 1.5M medical records lost in data breach". Computerworld. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
- "Update 1-Health Net says CMS lifts sanctions on Medicare programs". Reuters. 2011-08-02. Retrieved 2021-09-20.
- "Health Net (HNT) Announces Plans to sell Stand-Alone Prescription Plan Business to CVS Caremark (CVS) for ~$160M". 9 January 2012. Archived from the original on 2019-07-23. Retrieved 2020-01-11.
- Crowe, Deborah (9 January 2012). "Health Net Sells Medicare Drug Plan for $160 Million". Los Angeles Business Journal. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
- "Health Net sells Medicare drug plan business to CVS Caremark for $160M". Healthcare Finance News. 10 January 2012. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
- Robertson, Kathy (10 November 2016). "Exclusive: Health Net gets new $17.7 billion military health care contract". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2021-09-20.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Sauter, Michael; Stebbins, Samuel. "These 30 companies, including Boeing, get the most money from the federal government". USA Today. Retrieved 2021-09-20.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - "Health Net name disappearing in Arizona". Phoenix Business Journal. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
- Russell, John (30 January 2020). "Anthem sues senior executive who took job with competitor, demands return of $4M". Indianapolis Business Journal. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
- "Health Net Earns Prestigious Commendable Accreditation Status". Associated Press. 2018-10-09. Retrieved 2021-09-20.
- Girion, Lisa (November 9, 2007). "Health Insurer Tied Bonuses to Dropping Sick Policyholders". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2013-09-13.
- "Canceled Cancer Patient Awarded $9 Million". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2021-09-20.
- "Health Net inks $215M settlement on payment allegations". Fierce Healthcare. 2008-07-25. Retrieved 2022-02-23.
- "Health Net faces suit over refusals to cover treatments". Los Angeles Times. 2012-09-13. Retrieved 2021-09-20.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - "Health Net's 'Medical Necessity' Definition OK'd By Judge - Law360". www.law360.com. Retrieved 2021-09-20.
- "Health Net Federal Services Pays over $97M for Overstated Billings to the VA". www.justice.gov. 2021-04-06. Retrieved 2022-02-23.
- Terhune, Chad (5 November 2017). "Insurers make billions off Medicaid in California during Obamacare expansion". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2020-11-18.