CONTACTS:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OLDWICK, N.J. - SEPTEMBER 08, 2008 12:00 AM (EDT)
A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength ratings (FSR) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of 46 health maintenance organizations (HMOs), upgraded eight, downgraded five, assigned three and withdrew three. (See below for a detailed list of the companies and ratings.)
A.M. Best's HMO public data ratings (pd) will be released regularly over the next two months. Each month, A.M. Best will provide an update of the recent rating actions.
A.M. Best has affirmed the FSRs and ICRs of the following HMO companies:
Company FSR ICR
Advantage Health Solutions, Inc. C++ pd (Marginal) "b" pd
Alliance for Community Health, LLC B- pd (Fair) "bb-" pd
AMERIGROUP Maryland, Inc.
a Managed Care Organization C++ pd (Marginal) "b" pd
AMERIGROUP New Jersey, Inc. C++ pd (Marginal) "b" pd
AMERIGROUP Texas, Inc. C++ pd (Marginal) "b" pd
Avera Health Plans, Inc. B- pd (Fair) "bb-" pd
Bravo Health Mid-Atlantic, Inc. C+ pd (Marginal) "b-" pd
Bravo Health Pennsylvania, Inc. C+ pd (Marginal) "b-" pd
Care 1st Health Plan, Inc. B- pd (Fair) "bb-" pd
CareSource C++ pd (Marginal) "b" pd
Cariten Health Plan, Inc. C+ pd (Marginal) "b-" pd
Children's Mercy's Family Health
Partners C+ pd (Marginal) "b-" pd
Chinese Community Health Plan C+ pd (Marginal) "b-" pd
Community First Health Plans, Inc. C+ pd (Marginal) "b-" pd
Community Health Group C+ pd (Marginal) "b-" pd
Cox Health Systems HMO C++ pd (Marginal) "b" pd
Denver Health Medical Plan, Inc. C+ pd (Marginal) "b-" pd
FirstCarolinaCare Insurance Company, Inc. B+ pd (Good) "bbb-" pd
Geisinger Health Plan B+ pd (Good) "bbb-" pd
Good Health HMO, Inc. B pd (Fair) "bb" pd
Grand Valley Health Plan, Inc. C++ pd (Marginal) "b" pd
Group Health Plan, Inc. C++ pd (Marginal) "b" pd
Gundersen Lutheran Health Plan, Inc. C+ pd (Marginal) "b-" pd
Health Partners of Philadelphia, Inc. C+ pd (Marginal) "b-" pd
Health Plus of Louisiana, Inc. B pd (Fair) "bb" pd
Health Tradition Health Plan C++ pd (Marginal) "b" pd
HealthPartners, Inc. B+ pd (Good) "bbb-" pd
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic
States, Inc. B++ pd (Good) "bbb" pd
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan
of the Northwest B++ pd (Good) "bbb" pd
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. A- pd (Excellent) "a-" pd
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan
of Georgia, Inc. B+ pd (Good) "bbb-" pd
Kaiser Foundation Health
Plan of Ohio B pd (Fair) "bb" pd
Kern Health Systems B pd (Fair) "bb" pd
Medical Associates Health
Plan, Inc. B- pd (Fair) "bb-" pd
Molina Healthcare of
Michigan, Inc. C++ pd (Marginal) "b" pd
Molina Healthcare of Utah, Inc. C+ pd (Marginal) "b-" pd
Molina Healthcare of
Washington, Inc. B pd (Fair) "bb" pd
OPTIMA Health Plan B+ pd (Good) "bbb-" pd
Paramount Care, Inc. B- pd (Fair) "bb-" pd
Paramount Care of Michigan B- pd (Fair) "bb-" pd
Physicians Health Plan of
Mid-Michigan FamilyCare C++ pd (Marginal) "b" pd
Physicians Health Plan of
Mid-Michigan B- pd (Fair) "bb-" pd
PrimeCare Medical Network, Inc. C+ pd (Marginal) "b-" pd
Superior Dental Care, Inc. B- pd (Fair) "bb-" pd
Tenet Choices, Inc. C pd (Weak) "ccc" pd
WINhealth Partners B pd (Fair) "bb" pd
A.M. Best has upgraded the FSRs and ICRs of the following HMO companies:
Company FSR ICR
Colorado Access C pd (Weak) "ccc" pd
Elderplan, Inc. B pd (Fair) "bb" pd
Lovelace Health System, Inc. C++ pd (Marginal) "b" pd
Medica Health Plans B pd (Fair) "bb" pd
Medical Health Insuring
Corporation of Ohio B++ pd (Good) "bbb" pd
Molina Healthcare
New Mexico B- pd (Fair) "bb-" pd
Molina Healthcare of
California, Inc. C++ pd (Marginal) "b" pd
SCAN Health Plan B++ pd (Good) "bbb" pd
A.M. Best has downgraded the FSRs and ICRs of the following HMO companies:
Company FSR ICR
CareSource Michigan C pd (Weak) "ccc" pd
Kaiser Foundation Health
Plan of Colorado B+ pd (Good) "bbb-" pd
MMM Healthcare, Inc. C- pd (Weak) "cc" pd
Sanford Health Plan C+ pd (Marginal) "b-" pd
Texas Children's
Health Plan, Inc. C++ pd (Marginal) "b" pd
A.M. Best has assigned an FSR and ICR to the following HMO companies:
Company FSR ICR
AMERIGROUP
Ohio, Inc. C++ pd (Marginal) "b" pd
Kern Health Systems
Group Health Plan B pd (Fair) "bb" pd
Paramount Advantage C++ pd (Marginal) "b" pd
A.M. Best has withdrawn the FSRs from the following HMO companies:
Company
Central Oregon Independent Health Services, Inc. NR-5 (Not Followed)
MDNY Healthcare, Inc. NR-5 (Not Followed)
NevadaCare, Inc. NR-5 (Not Followed)
The companies' Best's public data rating assignments reflect a quantitative analysis of the company's results based on publicly available financial information. This quantitative analysis includes a review of important tests in three categories: balance sheet strength, operating performance and business profile. Best's public data ratings do not include analysis based on interaction with insurance company management or non-public financial information.
Founded in 1899, A.M. Best Company is a global full-service credit rating organization dedicated to serving the financial and health care service industries, including insurance companies, banks, hospitals and health care system providers. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.