Not
a single newspaper in California reported the corruption that George
Halvorson was found by the Minnesota Attorney General's Office to be a
ringleader of. - What has happened to California with Halvorson could
be likened to giving the former head of Enron the position of Director
of the Treasury because after all he already knows so much about
finance.
February 4, 2003
Flaherty is Hatch's next selection for HealthPartners board
Halvorson says report was unfair
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN)
Author: Glenn Howatt
Staff Writer
January 31, 2003Letters from readers
January 31, 2003
January 26, 2003
HMO will fight action by Hatch
HealthPartners opposes appointments to board
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN)
Author: Glenn Howatt
Staff Writer
January 17, 2003HealthPartners' ex-CEO reaped board's favors
Secret deals contributed to $5.5 million package
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN)
Author: Glenn Howatt Staff Writer
January 16, 2003
Perks at HealthPartners
Attorney general says he found a ``culture of luxury'' at the nonprofit.
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN)
Author: Glenn Howatt
Staff Writer
January 15, 2003
Audit of HealthPartners turns up extravagant spending
by Tom Scheck, Minnesota Public Radio
November 30, 2001Health-care executives were paid more than reported -
The nonprofit companies vary in their interpretation of an IRS rule on disclosing deferred compensation.
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN)/PLS format
Author: Glenn Howatt; Staff Writer
November 1, 2001HealthPartners to allow review of denials -
Under an agreement with the state, an outside committee will scrutinize the company's mental health care rejections.
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN)/PLS format
Author: Glenn Howatt; Staff Writer
October 4, 2001Health plan facing audit by attorney generalStar Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities
Author: Glenn Howatt; Staff Writer
August 20, 1992Group Health, MedCenters merge
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities
Author: Gordon Slovut; Staff Writer
December 21, 1998Fragile finances, big bonuses for health
care execs -
Healthy
bonuses boost HMO executives'
pay despite worst operational losses in
a
decade Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities
Author: Glenn Howatt; Staff Writer
September 15, 1988HMOs again will raise rates 13, to 20, Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities
Author: Gordon Slovut; Staff Writer
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities
Author: Gordon Slovut; Staff Writer
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities
Author: Maura Lerner; Staff Writer
April 21, 1987Hatch
criticizes insurers opposed to premium taxStar Tribune: Newspaper of the
Twin Cities
Author: Joe Blade; Staff Writer
Star Tribune: Newspaper of
the Twin Cities
Author: Gordon Slovut; Staff Writer January 26, 1987He's trying to stimulate new life at Group
Health - Star Tribune:
Author: Maura
Lerner; Staff Writer |  Note: There
are several published bios of George C. Halvorson on this page.
They are here for a reason. The first one is probably going
to be the most revealing for those that have read the Minnesota AG Investigation and Report and have viewed the exhibits.
George C. Halvorson Biography provided by a speaker's bureau he signed up with - "Leading Authorities World Class Talent and Media"
George
Halvorson CEO of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc.
George C.
Halvorson was named chairman and chief executive officer of Kaiser Foundation
Health Plan, Inc. and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, headquartered in Oakland,
California, in March 2002. Kaiser Permanente is the nation's largest nonprofit
health plan, serving more than 8.4 million members in 9 states and the District
of Columbia. Halvorson has more than 30
years of health care management experience. He was formerly President and CEO
of HealthPartners, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Prior to joining HealthPartners, he held
several senior management positions with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of
Minnesota. He was also president of Senior Health Plan, and president of
Health Accord International, an international HMO management company.(This only comes up on Google under Halvorson bios)
Mr. Halvorson
serves on a number of boards, including those of the America's Health Insurance
Plans, the Alliance of Community Health Plans, and Safest in America? (saved here)(registered by)(owned by), an
organization dedicated to patient safety. He is the current president of
the International Federation of Health Plans and a member of the Harvard
Kennedy School Healthcare Delivery Policy Program, and the Commonwealth Fund
Commission on a High Performance Health System.
Mr. Halvorson
is the author of books on health care, including Epidemic of Care
published in April of 2003, and Strong Medicine. He is currently
writing two new books, one about racial prejudice around the world, and one
about how to build and lead a health plan from the ground up, based on his own
experience creating a health care cooperative in Uganda. He has written
numerous articles on subjects ranging from health information technology to the
changing marketplace.
Mr. Halvorson
has lectured in a number of settings to academics, policy-makers, and health
industry leaders including the HR Policy Association, the World Bank, the
European Health Care Congress, the National Business Group on Health, the
Microsoft Annual Health Plan Executive Forum, the National Governors
Association, and the World Health Care Congress. He has served as an advisor to
the governments in Great Britain, Jamaica, Uganda and Russia on issues of
health policy and financing.
GEORGE C. HALVORSON Biography provided by the THE COMMONWEALTH FUND 2007 INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON HEALTH CARE POLICY - with corrections and relevant embedded links.
George
C. Halvorson was named chairman and CEO of Kaiser Foundation
Health Plan, Inc. and KaiserFoundation Hospitals, headquartered in
Oakland, Calif., in March 2002. (Correction - CEO Halvorson resigned his
position effective May 1, 2002 and accepted a
position with
Kaiser
Permanente out of Oakland, California.(V.CEO - GEORGE HALVORSON ) ) Kaiser Permanente is the nation’s largest
integrated health plan, serving more than 8.4 million members in nine
states and the District of Columbia. Halvorson has more than 30 years
of health care management experience. He was formerly president and CEO of
HealthPartners, headquartered in Minneapolis. Prior to joining HealthPartners, he held several senior management positions with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. He was also president of Senior Health Plan, and president of Health Accord International , an international HMO management company. (Questions - What company is this really.? Google lists nothing about it other than a listing in Halvorson's bio)
Halvorson serves on a number of boards, including those of America’s Health Insurance Plans and the Alliance of Community Health Plans. He is president of the board of directors of the International Federation of Health Plans, and a member of the Harvard Kennedy School Healthcare Delivery Policy Program,[additional source] The Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System, and the new Institute of Medicine Task Force on Evidence Based Medicine (Roundtable according to NIH). He also serves on the Executive Council of La Clínica (unknown which La Clinica he is supposed to be on the council of) and on the Ambassadors Council to Freedom from Hunger, an
international development organization working in 17 countries. He is a former board member and trustee of the National Cooperative Business Association (unable to verify other than self reported information).
Halvorson is the author of books on health care, including Epidemic of
Care published in April 2003, Strong Medicine, and Health Care Co-Ops
in Uganda: Effectively Launching Micro Health Plans in African
Villages. He is currently writing two new books, one about racial
prejudice around the world, and one about how to systematically reform
health care in America. He has written numerous articles on
subjects ranging from health information technology to the changing marketplace. Halvorson has interacted in a number of settings with academics, policy-makers, and health industry leaders including the HR Policy Association, the World Bank, the European Health Care Congress, the National Business Group on Health, the Microsoft Annual Health Plan Executive Forum, the National Governors Association, the World Health Care Congress,
and a number of universities and colleges. He has served as an adviser
to the governments in Great Britain, Jamaica, Uganda, and Russia on
issues of health policy and financing.
June 22, 2007 Bio -
George Halvorson
Company: Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals
Title: CEO, chairman
Years with company: 5
Career:
Senior positions, Blue Shield of Minnesota; former CEO, HealthPartners,
author of widely acclaimed books on the U.S. health care system
Boards: America's Health Insurance Plans, Alliance of Community Health Plans
Education:
B.A., history, political science and English, Concordia College,
Moorhead, Minn.; graduate studies at the University of Minnesota;
senior fellow, University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo.; M.B.A.,
University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minn.
Residence: Alameda
Family: Engaged, four sons
November 16, 2003 bio - Education: Bachelor's degree, Concordia College, Moorehead, Minn.
Family: Divorced. Four sons: Jonathan, Seth, Michael and Charles.
obtained from San Francisco Chronicle Article.
1987 bio
- George Halvorson
Born/Jan 28, 1947, Fargo, N.D. Family/Wife Mary. Sons Jonathan, 17, and
Seth, 15. Expecting third child in April. Home/St. Paul.
Career/1968-1982, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, assistant
director of public relations; corporate planner; vice president and
senior vice president, marketing. 1983-1986, Senior Health Plan Inc.,
president and chief executive officer. July, 1986, Group Health Inc.,
president and chief executive officer. Hobbies/Windsurfing, sailing,
writing, inventing.
NOTE
- Some of the indexed articles may not on the surface appear to be
relevant. Nothing could be further from the truth. Please
keep than in mind when studying this topic.
January 15, 2003
Audit of HealthPartners turns up extravagant spending
by Tom Scheck, Minnesota Public Radio
One of five volumes of the attorney general's audit report of HealthPartners. (MPR Photo/Melanie Sommer)
"Minnesota's Attorney General says an audit of
the HMO HealthPartners shows the company spent millions of dollars in
frivolous travel and entertainment expenses and consulting contracts.
Mike Hatch also alleges the company's board has provided insufficient
oversight of executive compensation. HealthPartners officials say
Hatch's audit provides the company with an opportunity to improve. "
 Audit of HealthPartners turns up extravagant spending (story audio)
Minnesota's Attorney
General says an audit of the HMO HealthPartners shows the company spent
millions of dollars in frivolous travel and entertainment expenses and
consulting contracts. Mike Hatch also alleges the company's board has
provided insufficient oversight of executive compensation.
HealthPartners officials say Hatch's audit provides the company with an
opportunity to improve.
February 4, 2003 Flaherty is Hatch's next selection for HealthPartners board Halvorson says report was unfair
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN) Author: Glenn Howatt Staff Writer `This wasn't a board where senior management went on parade every few months with a padded agenda,'' Halvorson said.
``It is not a board that sat and listened to a parade of speakers.'' However, Hatch pointed to documents, filed with the federal government, that showed that board members spent 36 hours
a year on board business in 2000, while the board chairman spent 72 hours a year. ``This a multibillion-dollar company, and those board members ought to be putting in more time,'' Hatch said. Read more at: http://writetogeorgehalvorson.kaiserpapers.info/february42003.html
January 31, 2003
Letters from readers
January 31, 2003
Read more at: http://writetogeorgehalvorson.kaiserpapers.info/letterstoeditor.html
January 26, 2003 HMO will fight action by Hatch HealthPartners opposes appointments to board
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN) Author: Glenn Howatt Staff Writer HealthPartners said it would fight any attempt by Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch to install new members on its board, including Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor.
The 15-member board of the health care system met in emergency session Saturday and voted unanimously to oppose any court
action initiated by Hatch that would place Taylor or others on the board. ``If he takes legal action against HealthPartners or the board, then we would respond in a legal fashion,'' said board
Chairman Alan Fletcher. ....... He particularly criticized former CEO George Halvorson's trips to Argentina, Australia, Chile and other countries, as well as board retreats and meetings that were held at resorts
in Arizona, California and New Mexico. Read more at: http://writetogeorgehalvorson.kaiserpapers.info/january262003.html
January 17, 2003
HealthPartners' ex-CEO reaped board's favors Secret deals contributed to $5.5 million package
Author: Glenn Howatt
HealthPartners board members knew it wouldn't look good if they gave Chief Executive George Halvorson a new fringe benefit in 1998, especially because the company was losing money.
But after receiving assurances that the supplemental retirement plan
wouldn't have to be reported to the public, the board approved it, even
rejecting a suggestion that awards into the plan be tied to company
performance, according to documents reviewed by the Minnesota attorney general's office.
It was one of several compensation enhancements and secret arrangements that gave Halvorson $5.5 million in pay and
benefits when he left the company last April, according to the investigative report.
In a review of company documents and board minutes, the attorney general's office found evidence that requests to increase Halvorson's compensation were sometimes questioned by the board but were
rarely rejected.
Read more at: http://writetogeorgehalvorson.kaiserpapers.info/january172003.html
January 16, 2003 Perks at HealthPartners Attorney general says he found a ``culture of luxury'' at the nonprofit.
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN) Author: Glenn Howatt
Staff Writer
HealthPartners executives took trips to six continents, ate lavish
meals, gave gifts of Waterford crystal and paid for a political
fundraiser using company funds, according to a state investigation. Despite the dubious business
purpose of many expenses, controls at Minnesota's third-largest health
insurer failed to prevent spending on unnecessary trips, gifts, dinners
and entertainment, according to Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch, whose office released the investigative findings Wednesday. Hatch said HealthPartners had a corporate culture similar to the one he found during his 2001 investigation of Medica
and Allina Health System. He said all three nonprofits made it too easy to spend money on executive perks and niceties, creating a ``culture of
luxury.'' Hatch said that ``culture'' was inconsistent with the nonprofits' core mission of serving the public. Allina and Medica
spent more than HealthPartners on such things, he said. Read more at: http://writetogeorgehalvorson.kaiserpapers.info/january162003.html
August 20, 1992 Group Health, MedCenters merge Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities
Author: Gordon Slovut; Staff Writer
Group Health and MedCenters Health Plan, two of Minnesota's largest health maintenance organizations, announced Wednesday
that they have merged - but there's a potential hitch.
"We're still reviewing it [the proposal] for possible antitrust ramifications," said Susan Gretz, a special assistant
in the antitrust division of the Minnesota attorney general's office.
Read more at: http://writetogeorgehalvorson.kaiserpapers.info/august201992.html
November 30, 2001
Health-care executives were paid more than reported - The nonprofit companies vary in their interpretation of an IRS rule on disclosing deferred compensation.
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN)/PLS format Author: Glenn Howatt; Staff Writer In a time of rising health care costs, top executives at some nonprofit health-care companies in Minnesota have been getting
paid more than previously disclosed.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota told the Star Tribune this week
that former Chief Executive Andy Czajkowski received an additional
$334,000 in 1999, driving his compensation up to $1.1 million from the
$772,862 that Blue Cross had reported last year. HealthPartners,
the state's third largest health plan, acknowledged that it did not
include some unspecified long-term pay on its 2000 public filing, but
said it will modify its statements next year to include all
compensation.
And Allina Health System, the network of hospitals and clinics that
formerly owned Medica health plan, said it changed its reporting last
year after auditors from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) discovered
that some deferred compensation was not being disclosed. Read more at: http://writetogeorgehalvorson.kaiserpapers.info/november302001.html
November 1, 2001
HealthPartners to allow review of denials - Under an agreement with the state, an outside committee will scrutinize the company's mental health care rejections.
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN)/PLS format Author: Glenn Howatt; Staff Writer HealthPartners said Wednesday that it will allow an outside panel to review all its denials of mental health care, under an
agreement it reached with Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch. Reade more: http://writetogeorgehalvorson.kaiserpapers.info/november12001.html
October 4, 2001
Health plan facing audit by attorney general Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities
Author: Glenn Howatt; Staff Writer
HealthPartners said Wednesday that it is the subject of the latest health plan investigation launched by Minnesota Attorney
General Mike Hatch.
Last week, Hatch released the results of his year-long examination of
Allina Health System and Medica. That investigation uncovered spending
on consultants, executive perks, travel and gifts that Hatch contended
were inconsistent with the mission of nonprofits.
Read more at: http://writetogeorgehalvorson.kaiserpapers.info/october42001.html
December 21, 1998
Fragile finances, big bonuses for health care execs -
Healthy
bonuses boost HMO executives' pay despite worst operational losses in a
decade // Compensation awarded to HMO executives in 1997 was affected
by the worst operational losses of the 1990s. Still, some came out
ahead as they met companywide strategic goals.
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities Author: Glenn Howatt; Staff Writer # Halvorson's total compensation includes $103,782 for a life insurance
and comprehensive disability insurance policy, Without that and other
benefits, Halvorson's 1997 compensation was $513,816, a 9 percent
increase from a comprable 1996 figures. Read more at: http://writetogeorgehalvorson.kaiserpapers.info/december211998.html
September 15, 1988
HMOs again will raise rates 13, to 20, Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities Author: Gordon Slovut; Staff Writer For the second straight year, Minnesota's health maintenance organizations are increasing their rates 13 to 20 percent and
more, and the end of major rate increases isn't in sight.
"I think we'll have double-digit increases at least next year, too," said George Halvorson, president of Group Health Inc., the only major HMO in the state that did not lose money last year.
The first indication of the size of 1989 rate increases came this week
when state employees began receiving a list of premiums for single and
family coverage that will be effective Jan. 1. About 50,000 state
workers are affected. Read more at: http://writetogeorgehalvorson.kaiserpapers.info/september151888
November 4, 1987
Admirers call Burke classic entrepreneur; critics say he's abrasive and dictatorial Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities Author: Gordon Slovut; Staff Writer A critic says most doctors consider Burke, who is selling control of
the Minnesota-based company to a New York corporation, as arrogant,
abrasive, unfeeling and dictatorial. And one of the Burke's competitors, George Halvorson, president of Group Health Inc., said it appears to him that Burke has decided to take his money and fade from the Minnesota
health-care scene. Burke, 43, said his backers and critics have it all wrong, at least about his future. He is not going to fade away,
and he didn't really need the money from the stock sale, he said. "I am staying as chairman of the board, and that role in our company is a significant one," he said. Read more at: http://writetogeorgehalvorson.kaiserpapers.info/november41987.html
June 18, 1987
State HMO's collective loss is $4 million Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities Author: Maura Lerner; Staff Writer Group Health, with about 206,000 members, had the biggest surplus among the state's HMOs last year, almost $1.6 million
after expenses. But that was a 45 percent drop from the year before. "I think there will be a definite easing up this year," said George Halvorson,
Group Health's president and chief executive officer. He predicted that
rates would increase sharply for some prepaid health plans in
Minnesota. "I think the buyers can expect to see the 2 to 4 percent
rate increase turn into 8 to 15 percent rate increases," he said. He
said Group Health's increase probably would be "less than the
marketplace. Read more - http://writetogeorgehalvorson.kaiserpapers.info/june181987.html
April 21, 1987
Hatch
criticizes insurers opposed to premium tax Star
Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities
Author: Joe
Blade; Staff Writer
..........Hatch
also criticized Group Health Inc. for a March 31 letter to its
senior-citizen members. It said the tax would cost them the equivalent
of more than five months' additional premiums. Hatch said a 2 percent
tax couldn't create that increase. George Halvorson,
president of Group Health, said the total increase would indeed come to
that much if the tax applied to Medicare payments to the company. But
since the letter was written, an amendment has been offered to exclude
those payments from the computation, so the statement would no longer
be correct, he said.
Read more at: http://writetogeorgehalvorson.kaiserpapers.info/april211987.html
March
17, 1987
Group Health will help pay for
baby's marrow transplant Star
Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities
Author: Gordon
Slovut; Staff Writer
Officials
of Group Health Inc. have changed their minds and agreed to
pay $100,000 toward a bone marrow transplant for 14-month-old Jeremy
Carle of Elk River, Minn. They denied coverage earlier this year on the
ground that bone marrow transplants for neuroblastoma, a rare and
usually lethal form of cancer, are experimental.......... George
Halvorson, Group Health president, said the reversal
doesn't set a precedent on coverage for experimental treatments because
the health maintenance organization is merely letting the Carles decide
how the money should be spent. He said that Group Health was willing
all along to pay $100,000 for the treatment of Jeremy's cancer, but
that its policy against paying for "experimental procedures" caused
difficulties with the Carles.
Halvorson said the money would have been used for conventional
treatment of neuroblastoma, which consists of chemotherapy, radiation
and surgical removal of the tumor that doctors believe is very close to
one of Jeremy's kidneys. Conventional anticancer treatment for
neuroblastoma stops short of destroying all of the patient's bone
marrow, leaving open the possibility that some cancer cells remain
hidden in it. Please read: http://writetogeorgehalvorson.kaiserpapers.info/march171987.html
January 26, 1987
He's trying to stimulate new
life at Group Health Star
Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities
January 26, 1987
Author: Maura
Lerner; Staff Writer George Halvorson
was duck hunting on the shores of Blueberry Lake in northwestern
Minnesota when he realized he had a problem. His quarry had fallen on
the water, and without a boat or a dog, he had no way to bring it in.
All he could do was wait for the bird to drift ashore. So he sat down
and started sketching. Before long, he had designed a new invention - a
duck retriever that works like a fishing pole - which he later patented.
Halvorson, it seems, has a knack for finding inventive solutions. And
colleagues say it's a knack he's carried over in his professional life
as one of the rising stars of the Twin Cities health care industry -
and now president and chief executive officerSt. Paul-Ramsey Medical
Center of Group Health, Inc., a
Twin Cities-based health maintenance organization.
At 39, Halvorson has spent 18 years in the business charting new
ground. He was one of the first to design an HMO for Minnesota's poor,
through St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center. He also helped create an HMO
for injured workers (as an alternative to ordinary worker's
compensation insurance). And he fought the federal bureaucracy to try
to establish one of the first HMOs exclusively for the elderly.
READ
MORE AT: http://writetogeorgehalvorson.kaiserpapers.info/jan261987.html
|
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