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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Utah's largest provider of commercial health plans and hospitals is renaming its insurance business SelectHealth.
Intermountain Healthcare officials said the name change should bring clarity to the different roles of IHC.
"Our research shows people have come to believe that IHC is an insurance company that also owns hospitals. This is designed to (correct) that imbalance," said spokesman Daron Cowley.
Others believe IHC is focused on improving its image. The past two years, IHC has come under close scrutiny by the Legislature. A task force was created last year to examine IHC, and is looking at how the company uses its tax-exempt status, the amount of Utah's health care market it controls and ways it deals with competition.
The company has invested heavily in billboards, radio and newspaper advertisements emphasizing its medical care and community service.
Cowley insisted the name change is not a response to criticism and, citing a November survey, he said most Utahns have a positive view of the company.
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Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
