National Heritage Insurance Company Revises PillCam(R) SB Guidelines for California Medicare Patients (Market Wire via Yahoo! Finance)
Given Imaging Ltd. today announced that the National Heritage Insurance Company, California's Medicare Part B carrier, has revised its existing coverage policy for small bowel capsule endoscopy so that patients will no longer be required to undergo an upper endoscopy prior to PillCam SB. NHIC serves approximately 3 million Medicare beneficiaries in California.

A.M. Best Special Report: Medicare Drove Health Plans' Growth As M&A Climate Cooled in 2006 (RedNova)
Medicare was the big event for health insurers in 2006. The implementation of Medicare Part D and the new Medicare Advantage products created significant growth in membership and revenue at many of the plans, according to a new special report from A.M. Best Co.

State reviews Medicare sales tactics (BizJournals)
Wisconsin insurance regulators are looking into complaints that some insurance agents are enrolling senior citizens in private Medicare plans without the seniors' permission.

Senators lash Medicare, Medicaid on Part D oversight (Market Watch)
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Senators lashed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Tuesday, criticizing oversight of the prescription-drug program and pointing to seniors who are at risk from administrative problems and unscrupulous operators.