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HEALTHCARE
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PacifiCare Health Systems Inc., Santa Ana, has been working to get over a difficult stretch in the past year and a half. Earlier this month, a company official shared with a Wall Street audience what PacifiCare's been doing.
Gregory Scott, PacifiCare's chief financial officer, took part in a healthcare conference, sponsored by CIBC World Markets, at the Plaza Hotel in New York.
Scott gave his presentation on several aspects of the managed healthcare service provider's business. In terms of what it called "top-level strategy," PacifiCare is looking at:
Near-term corrective action programs in its traditional health maintenance organization business.
Building infrastructure necessary to support expansion of its health insurance portfolio.
* Expanding its scope to offer services beyond traditional health insurance.
PacifiCare has launched Medicare supplemental insurance and a preferred provider organization as a way to broaden its business. A two-tier health maintenance organization and women's health network plan is also in the mix.
In terms of commercial business, Scott's slides revealed that PacifiCare got between 15% and 17% premium increases on its July through September renewals;...