UnitedHealth Group

As the federal government squeezes payments for private Medicare plans, Humana Inc. (HUM), the big health insurer most tethered to the government health program, has no plans to shift gears.Instead, the Louisville, Ky., company is pressing ahead with efforts to grow Medicare membership, while making its plans work more efficiently through methods such as providing more intense care upfront for sicker patients. Like other companies running Medicare Advantage plans, which cover more than 14 million Americans, Humana has to find ways to make a good business by doing more with less."Frankly if we're not doing that, we shouldn't be in business," Chief Executive Bruce Broussard said in a recent interview. "That's the responsibility we have."He officially took over Jan. 1, long after predecessor and Chairman Michael McCallister greatly expanded Humana's Medicare footprint over a 13-year tenure. Much of that growth overlapped with a long stretch when Medicare Advantage plans were paid more tha...

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