Humana’s 1st-quarter profit more than doubles as on health plan enrollment increaseLOUISVILLE, Ky. — Health insurer Humana Inc. said Monday its first-quarter profit more than doubled as its government business surged from higher membership in its Medicare Advantage plans and lower expenses in Medicare drug plans that sapped earnings a year ago. Survey: Hospitals cutting services, staff, other spending as recession hurts their financesTRENTON, N.J. — Ailing from the recession, many U.S. hospitals have had to begin making painful cuts to patient services and laying off staff, as previous cost-cutting hasn’t been enough, an industry survey found. Hawaii overturns nursing care law that kept couple married 63 years from living togetherHONOLULU — A couple forced to live apart after more than 60 years of marriage will soon be reunited thanks to a new law changing Hawaii’s rules for residential nursing care. UnitedHealth earnings fall on decline in investment income, shrinking margins but top viewsINDIANAPOLIS — UnitedHealth Group Inc. topped analyst expectations when it reported a slightly smaller first-quarter profit Tuesday, but company leaders say the sour economy is offsetting some of the gains the health insurer made. Senator says Medicare program to focus on ‘wellness’ to prevent needless hospital staysWASHINGTON — Older Americans could see big changes in Medicare as a result of a health care overhaul, lawmakers and experts said Tuesday as Congress began working on the sweeping legislation. |