MARCH 2000 - HMO Now Under State Control - With the birth of a new year, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (HPHC) has found itself in severe financial difficulty after registering a $197 million loss in 1999. The first week of January, it became known that HPHC had lost $78 million more for the year than had previously been assumed. As the company teetered on the verge of bankruptcy, state officials and the Supreme Judicial Court promptly placed HPHC under state receivership.

JANUARY 2000 - State and Local Retirees Would Be Eligible - Association lobbyists are on the verge of a major breakthrough in providing comprehensive dental and vision coverage to members insured through the state's Group Insurance Commission (GIC). The news follows several attempts in recent years to obtain coverage for state and local retirees insured under the GIC.

NOVEMBER 1999 - Medicaid Limits On Assets And Income For Public Retirees - Unfortunately, some of our members face the prospect of nursing home care either for themselves or their loved ones. One major consideration is how to pay for this care which currently averages between $40,000 to $65,000 annually.

NOVEMBER 1999 - GIC Weighs Future Options - A recent health care trend here in Massachusetts and throughout the country has brought concern to the state's Group Insurance Commission (GIC). Over the past year, several of the state's premier Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) have eliminated or reduced their Medicare coverage.