Mark Farrah Associates Discusses Medicare Supplement Market Position

Business Wire, May 07, 2009

KENNEBUNK, Maine & SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- LuAnne Farrah, President of Mark Farrah Associates (MFA), discussed the competitive landscape for Medicare Supplement plans at the third annual industry conference in Scottsdale, Arizona on May 5, 2009. “We are extremely honored to have LuAnne Farrah deliver the luncheon keynote address. In these turbulent and changing times where knowledge is a significant competitive advantage, her expertise is most welcome,” noted Jesse Slome, Executive Director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance who organized the conference. The conference theme was Issues & Trends in Medicare Supplement Insurance. More than 200 industry leaders gathered to discuss the impact of pending healthcare changes on the Medicare Supplement industry.

Farrah presented the latest statistics about Medicare Supplement market share, penetration, financial performance and competitive positioning. The Medicare Supplement segment experienced modest growth in 2008 as insurance carriers promoted these plans to seniors alongside Medicare Advantage and Part D options. About 34% of seniors enrolled in the traditional fee-for-service Medicare program (9.6 million) purchased Medicare Supplement insurance in 2008. Managed care organizations, including market leaders UnitedHealth and WellPoint, as well as prominent life insurers such as Mutual of Omaha and Conseco have a strong presence in this segment. Farrah pointed out several other companies, such as Humana and Universal American, are senior market leaders when you look across the spectrum of Medicare product options.

The latest Medicare Supplement market data, including membership, premiums and claims by carrier and state, is available through MFA’s Health Coverage Portal.

About Mark Farrah Associates

Mark Farrah Associates (MFA) is recognized as a leader in analyzing health insurance business and provides database tools for the healthcare industry. MFA’s product portfolio includes Medicare Business Online™, the Health Coverage Portal™, Health Insurer Insights™, and Health Plans USA™. MFA also publishes Healthcare Business Strategy TM, a FREE industry analysis series. Visit www.markfarrah.com or call 207.985.8484 to learn more about our products.

About the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance

The American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance is the national professional organization exclusively dedicated to promoting the importance of planning for long-term care needs. The Association is the nation's leading independent, organization serving those who offer long-term care insurance and other planning solutions. Visit www.aaltci.org for more information.