Fla. company buys Harrington

Harrington Health has a new owner.

The benefit administration and claims processing unit of UnitedHealth Group has been acquired by Tampa, Fla.-based HealthPlan Services, a privately held provider of service and technology solutions to the insurance and managed care industry.

Bob Langhofer, Harrington Health vice president in Wichita, said he could not yet talk in detail about the acquisition.

"Yes, HealthPlan Services has acquired Harrington, but we are not commenting further in deference to our employees, clients and other constituents," Langhofer said Friday.

The Wichita office is at 300 W. Douglas in the R.H. Garvey building.

The Wichita operation started as Dorth Coombs in the 1950s and through a series of name and ownership changes became a part of Fiserv Health. In 2008, UnitedHealth purchased most of Fiserv's business, including in Kansas.

Langhofer declined to say how many people work in the Wichita office. The Eagle reported in August 2009 that it had 125 employees.

Local insurance and benefits brokers were divided about what the acquisition means.

Chock Chapple, managing partner of CIG Insurance, said he thought it was a positive change for the office.

"I think it's going to solidify another agency as a strong player in the health insurance arena," Chapple said.

"There's obviously been some changes over there the last couple of years, and I think this will bring Langhofer's group to the forefront (to) be a viable competitor in the health insurance arena."

Mike Howell, principal at Hardman Benefit Plans, said it's not always a positive when a local unit is purchased by an out-of-market entity, "if they don't listen to what's going on in the local market."

This story was originally published March 26, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Fla. company buys Harrington."