Universal American

U.S. Health insurers received the Medicare Advantage rate changes they were seeking, thanks in part to a strong lobbying campaign by the industry and an assist from the nation's top health-care official.The much better-than-feared rates for next year sent stock prices surging Tuesday across the health-insurance sector. Insurers sponsoring these plans for the elderly are still likely to get slightly less money in 2014, but they are no longer facing the steep, high single-digit percentage declines threatened in a mid-February government proposal. Health insurers had warned steep cuts would hurt benefits to seniors while driving plans from some markets.The industry launched its most aggressive lobbying campaign in years in response to the February proposal, according to those involved. Lobbyists organized a grassroots effort that recruited 50,000 seniors to contact members of Congress through phone calls, emails or other methods.The lobbying effort found a receptive audience, with more th...

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