Life and Health Insurance

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• BAY STREET-Rich valuations pose risk to Canada insurer shares

  TORONTO, Feb 3- After ringing up share-price gains last year that led the market, Canada's life insurers look ripe for a setback even if they post blockbuster quarterly results over the next couple of weeks.

• UPDATE 4-Obama offers compromise on birth control health coverage

  WASHINGTON, Feb 1- The Obama administration on Friday sought to settle a dispute with some religious leaders over the inclusion of contraceptives in employees' health insurance plans by proposing to separate birth control from other benefits.

• Doctors, Insurers Trade Blame on Out-of-Network Fees

  

  A new report shows non-network providers are charging insured patients outrageous out-of-network fees. Doctors fault insurers for reimbursing doctors at far lower rates than before.

• Obama Offers Compromise on Birth Control Coverage

  

  The Obama administration is offering a compromise on new Obamacare rules that would allow religious employers to exclude contraceptives from health insurance for employees, but would still guarantee those employees access to free coverage for birth control.

• UPDATE 2-White House strikes compromise on birth control coverage

  WASHINGTON, Feb 1- The Obama administration on Friday offered a compromise on controversial new health care rules that would allow religious employers to exclude contraceptives from health insurance for their employees, but would still guarantee those employees access to free coverage for birth control.

• UPDATE 2-China approves HSBC sale of remaining $7.4 bln Ping An stake

  Payment for shares made in cash- HSBC. HONG KONG, Feb 1- China has approved the sale of HSBC's remaining $7.4 billion stake in Ping An Insurance to a group controlled by Thailand's richest man, allowing completion of the biggest equity purchase in the country by a foreign investor.

• UPDATE 1-China approves HSBC sale of remaining $7.5 bln Ping An stake

  HONG KONG, Feb 1- China has approved the sale of HSBC's remaining $7.5 billion stake in Ping An Insurance to a group controlled by Thailand's richest man, giving the green light to the country's biggest inbound M&A deal.

• Report warns of US state inactivity on consumer health reforms

  WASHINGTON, Feb 1- Only 11 of the 50 U.S. states have moved to implement new consumer safeguards under President Barack Obama's healthcare law, raising questions about how major health insurance reforms will be enforced, a report released on Friday says.

• 2 IT specialists settle insider trading charges

  PORTLAND, Ore.-- A worker came from the IT department of a Central Oregon health insurance business a few years ago to fix an email problem for the CEO.

• UPDATE 2-Aetna profit falls on settlement costs, names new CFO

  Jan 31- Aetna Inc said on Thursday that fourth-quarter earnings fell sharply, as costs rose in parts of its employer-based insurance business and as it took charges for settling litigation involving its payment practices for out-of-network care.

• Health Net 4Q profit plummets as costs pile up

  Health Net Inc.' s fourth-quarter profit sank more than 91 percent compared to the final quarter of 2011, when the health insurer recorded a $17.1 million gain from a business it has since discontinued. Even so, Health Net reaffirmed a forecast it made last month for 2013 earnings.

• JGBs slip slightly as FOMC awaited for U.S. easing clues

  *10- yr yield now 5 bp above last week's 6- week low. *Superlong tenor still supported by life insurance demand-strategist. TOKYO, Jan 30- Japanese government bonds inched lower on Wednesday, in line with U.S.

• Minn. building new health insurance marketplace

  Leading this construction project is April Todd-Malmlov, a 35- year-old mother of two who grew up in the small northwestern Minnesota town of Halstad and shows a knack for rattling off facts and figures without notes.

• UPDATE 2-WellPoint expects states to expand Medicaid

  *WellPoint expects significant Medicaid growth in 2014. Jan 23- A top U.S. insurance industry executive on Wednesday predicted that most states will agree to expand their Medicaid programs under President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law, despite opposition from more than a dozen Republican governors.

• UPDATE 3-WellPoint profit beats, but 2013 outlook 'prudent'

  Jan 23- WellPoint Inc reported a higher-than-expected fourth-quarter profit on Wednesday, but the second-largest U.S. health insurer said it was taking a "prudent" view of 2013 as it faces industry reform.

• UPDATE 2-WellPoint profit rises, takes 'prudent' view on 2013

  Jan 23- WellPoint Inc reported a higher fourth-quarter profit on Wednesday and said it was taking a "prudent" view of 2013 as the second-largest U.S. health insurer faces industry reform.

• UPDATE 1-WellPoint quarterly profit rises; membership increases

  Jan 23- Health insurer WellPoint Inc said on Wednesday that its fourth-quarter net profit had risen to $464.2 million, or $1.51 per share, helped by an income tax settlement and investment gains.

• WellPoint quarterly profit rises

  Jan 23- Health insurer WellPoint Inc said on Wednesday that its fourth-quarter net profit had risen to $464.2 million, or $1.51 per share, helped by an income tax settlement and investment gains. On an adjusted basis, the company said earnings had increased to $1.03 per share from 99 cents a year earlier, driven by cost controls and operating results.

• Aetna to sell Missouri Medicaid as part of Coventry deal

  Jan 22- Aetna Inc said on Tuesday it agreed to sell its Missouri Medicaid business to WellCare Health Plans Inc as part of its purchase of Coventry Health Care Inc because their combined Missouri businesses had exceeded Medicaid membership limits.

• Earnings Preview: WellPoint details 4Q Wednesday

  Health insurer WellPoint Inc. will revisit a tumultuous 2012 that included a CEO resignation and choppy earnings when it releases results on Wednesday from last year's final quarter.