Independence Blue Cross

The U.S. Justice Department is investigating whether Independence Blue Cross violated federal antitrust laws by requiring local hospitals to give the insurer special discount rates based on the number of patients covered by the insurer. Independence president G. Fred DiBona Jr. was notified of the civil probe Friday in a letter from Steven Kramer, a lawyer in the Justice Department's Antitrust Division in Washington. Kramer stressed that the department had reached no conclusions regarding the health insurer's "Prudent Buyer" policy, which requires hospitals to give Blue Cross their lowest rates if it insures a majority of their patients.

FINDING LOCAL writers with something original to say clearly has gotten tougher at the Daily News. How else to explain a decision to give Jonathan Stein two columns in less than four weeks - both pushing the same self-serving attack on Independence Blue Cross? Could it be Daily News editors have decided to hide behind a guest columnist's "opinions" to publish the same errors and misleading information that the Inquirer published back in February? In two efforts to date, Mr. Stein has parroted the Inquirer's flat-out wrong assertions that IBC's reserves are "excessive," that IBC is a "charity" and that IBC avoids paying taxes.

Joseph A. Frick, 58, president and chief executive of Independence Blue Cross, will retire Dec. 15, the company told employees in an e-mail this afternoon. Replacing him will be Daniel J. Hilferty, a longtime company executive who built Independence Blue Cross's for-profit AmeriHealth Mercy group of companies into the largest Medicaid managed care organization in the U.S. covering 6.5 million people in 14 states. "As you can imagine, this is a decision I did not make without careful thought and consultation, given the tremendous respect and fondness I have for all of you and IBC," Frick wrote.

In response to cutbacks among companies that buy its services and growing demands for cost control, the region's largest private health insurer has begun notifying employees that it is eliminating some jobs. Beginning about two weeks ago, Independence Blue Cross told workers that 100 to 125 positions in two divisions will be dropped by June, said spokeswoman Liz Williams. Affected employees can apply for other open jobs, so it is unknown how many will be out of work. She said 10 to 12 divisions were still studying how to improve "productivity and efficiency.

The annual Broad Street Run has a new name: the Blue Cross Broad Street Run. Independence Blue Cross will be the title sponsor of the 10-mile race, which is May 5. The Daily News, which sponsored the race during its first 17 years, will continue its heavy involvement. The race, conducted by the city Recreation Department, benefits the American Cancer Society. "As a corporate neighbor committed to the good health and spirit of Philadelphia, Independence Blue Cross is absolutely delighted to become the title sponsor of the Blue Cross Broad Street Run," G. Fred DiBona Jr., president and chief executive officer of Independence Blue Cross, said yesterday.

What do you do when some of the best medical institutions in the world (in Philadelphia) can't improve the lot of one of the unhealthiest populations in the country (ditto)? You ask for help — and offer cash as an incentive. It has worked with thorny problems before, from how to navigate the ocean (the British Parliament's Longitude Act of 1714 offered cash prizes) to sending a privately financed rocket into space (a $10 million X Prize). On Wednesday, Independence Blue Cross will announce the latest challenge: It will offer $50,000 plus mentoring from innovation experts for up to three "software applications, devices, products, education programs, or public awareness campaigns that can deliver a positive impact on our region's health, with special emphasis on driving healthy behaviors such as eating   right and getting fit. " Pretty much anyone who is over 17 and works or lives in the five-county region is eligible.

Families can have fun on the ice Sunday afternoon during the Independence Blue Cross Annual Healthy Kids Fest at Blue Cross RiverRink. The free event, offered from 1 to 5 p.m., is designed to engage children and adults in interactive games to help families focus on exercise and nutrition during the winter months. Experts will present exercise instruction and demonstrations, display fitness equipment, and provide information on how to stay active all year long. Families can enjoy activities ranging from Healthy Food Bingo, to Wii Fit, to photos with local sports figures.

Independence Blue Cross is joining with two other Blue Cross health insurers and a St. Louis software company to buy a Massachusetts firm that has what the buyers called the nation's largest real-time communication network for physicians, hospitals, and health insurers. The price for NaviNet Inc. of Boston in the deal scheduled to be announced Tuesday was not disclosed, but Independence Blue Cross executives said in interviews Monday the combined capabilities of NaviNet and Lumeris Corp., the St. Louis partner, would help ease the way to a more efficient health-care system.

A few weeks after the Boston Marathon bombings, it was time for another major Northeastern city known for its history, toughness, and distinctive regional pride (not to mention accents) to hold its signature long-distance run. And Philadelphia's Broad Street Run could have been cowed, dampened, or restrained by fresh memories of the Patriots' Day violence. But it wasn't. Runners showed up at North Broad Street and West Fisher Avenue on Sunday in the same impressive numbers that prompted the popular race to introduce a lottery system for the first time this year.

With a profound sense of patriotism and a sea of red socks to prove it, up to 40,000 runners will participate Sunday in the 34th annual Broad Street Run . Less than a month after the Boston Marathon bombings, Philadelphia's signature foot race, sponsored by Independence Blue Cross, also will be marked by heightened security and a sense of apprehension. Most runners interviewed said they would not be deterred by terror, and many planned to wear red socks - trademark of the Boston baseball team - as a symbol of their support.

Five girls met as freshmen at their first cross-country practice at Mount St. Joseph Academy in Flourtown in 2003. They were all from different towns, new to the school and nervous, just looking to fit in. What happened to them has happened many times in many places. A bond was formed, friendships that may last a lifetime. "Back in our high school days, we bonded over Coach [Karen] Orr's merciless workouts and on long runs at Valley Green," said Genevieve O'Mara, now of Boston, "and that bond has remained strong ever since!"

The Inquirer each day is profiling participants in Sunday's Broad Street Run. Andrew Kessler, 18, is a sweet boy, but because of autism and his inability to communicate, he lives an isolated life. He can't play team sports. He had no friends. "He can pogo-stick and hula-hoop like nobody's business," said his mother, Cindy, but connecting with the world, being active, is hard. When Luke, his younger brother, joined Haddon Township High School's state championship cross-country team, the whole family was transformed.

Cooper Health System agreed to pay at least $7.5 million for a 20 percent stake in AmeriHealth New Jersey, according to the Camden system's consolidated financial statement for 2012, released Tuesday. Cooper and Amerihealth's parent, Independence Blue Cross, announced the deal April 10, but the price was not disclosed at that time. Cooper said its investment could increase if the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance requires a higher level of capital in the joint venture, which will be set up as a limited liability company.

The Inquirer is presenting a daily profile of participants in the May 5 Broad Street Run, considered the country's most popular 10-miler, with 40,000 participants. See full coverage at www.inquirer.com/health_science/ and www.philly.com/broadstreetrun When Rocco Maiorano was 3, his parents divorced. He was raised by his grandmother Livia Colavito, whom he loved more than anyone. She made him bathe and brush his teeth when 10-year-old boys would rather not. When he was home sick, she cared for him and they watched her favorite show, The Price Is Right.

Nine days after twin bombings killed three people and injured nearly 300 at the Boston Marathon, Philadelphia officials said Wednesday that the Broad Street Run on May 5 will have an increased security presence and that every runner will wear a symbol supporting Boston. As hundreds of residents and employees gathered at Rittenhouse Square for an annual walk, Mayor Nutter announced that the 40,000 runners in this year's run will be given a sticker with the phrase "From Philly to Boston With Love.

In the Region Pep Boys' quarterly loss widens   Pep Boys - Manny, Moe & Jack reported a bigger loss for its fourth quarter, largely attributable to a $17.8 million pension settlement charge. Net loss for the Philadelphia-based chain of 758 auto parts and service centers widened to $14.5 million, or 27 cents per share, for the 14-week period that ended Feb. 2. For a 13-week period a year ago, Pep Boys lost $4.4 million, or 8 cents per share. Revenues for the fourth quarter rose 5 percent to $530.8 million from $505.3 million a year ago. However, excluding that 14th week, comparable sales were down 2.6 percent.

The AmeriHealth Mercy Family of Cos., a Philadelphia-based manager of Medicaid and other government-sponsored health benefits in 13 states, changed its name to AmeriHealth Caritas, the company announced.   The name change was a condition of Mercy Health System of Southeastern Pennsylvania's 2011 sale of its stake in AmeriHealth Mercy to Independence Blue Cross and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan for $194 million, plus a $43 million pledge to be paid over seven years to the Mercy Health System Foundation.