By Mike Oliver | moliver@al.com
on November 28, 2012 at 2:38 PM, updated November 28, 2012 at 4:32 PM
Blue Cross Blue Shield dominates commercial health insurance market.
Alabama is No. 1. but in this category — the least competitive commercial health insurance market — that’s not a good thing –at least for patients and doctors, according to a report released today by the American Medical Association.
A study of U.S. markets found that a single insurer – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama – accounts for 88 percent of Alabama’s commercial health insurance market.
Broken out into markets for specific managed care plans, Alabama rated first among states with the least competitive PPO (preferred provider organization) markets; second among states with the least competitive HMO (health maintenance organization) markets; and fourth among states with the least competitive POS (point of service) markets.
The AMA study found near monopolies in several geographical areas in Alabama.