1. Judge dismisses BCBS of California of alleged Telephone Consumer Protection Act violation
A U.S. District Judge dismissed allegations that Blue Cross Blue Shield of California violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act when it used an autodialer to contact a plaintiff.
2. Geisinger, Meridian scrap Medicare Advantage plan
Geisinger Health Plan and Hackensack Meridian Health ended a four-year collaboration on their Medicare Advantage plan — Geisinger Gold — and will not offer the plan in New Jersey for 2017.
3. CHI Memorial Hospital, UnitedHealthcare sever ties
CHI Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga, Tenn., notified affiliated providers it failed to negotiate a new contract with UnitedHealthcare.
4. Oscar Health moves sales, member service operations to Arizona
Health insurance startup Oscar Health will transfer its New York City operations to a new office in Tempe, Ariz.
5. Aetna, Humana call for sanctions over unreleased CMS files
Health insurers Aetna and Humana said the U.S. Department of Justice belated releasing sought-after documents that would help the insurers defend their proposed $37 billion transaction.
6. Anthem plans Atlanta IT center with 1,000 hires
Indianapolis-based payer Anthem is eyeing an Atlanta-based IT center, possibly hiring more than 1,000 to staff the operation.
7. Maryland insurance co-op goes private after facing failure as nonprofit
Evergreen Health is courting private investors after continued financial struggles have threatened the nonprofit health plan’s viability.
8. BCBS of Texas expands 2017 Medicare Advantage offerings
Richardson-based health insurer Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas will offer more Medicare Advantage health plan options for 2017.
9. HealthPartners pulls back individual ACA plans in Minnesota
Bloomington, Minn.-based HealthPartners will limit its Affordable Care Act exchange footprint in Minnesota for 2017.
10. Baptist Health Plan to exit Kentucky individual market
Lexington, Ky.-based payer Baptist Health Plan will withdraw from Kentucky’s 2017 individual health insurance market.
11. Tenet Healthcare cuts ties with Humana
Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare dropped Humana health insurance plans following failed contract negotiations.
12. Minuteman Health co-op taps Zipari search solution
Health insurance co-op Minuteman Health selected insurance software startup Zipari as its provider search solution.
13. New West Health CEO offers insight into insurer’s closure
Due to marketplace challenges, Helena, Mont.-based health insurer New West Health plans to close its doors by mid 2017.
14. Saint Mary’s, Health Plan of Nevada tussle over Medicaid payments
Saint Mary’s Health Network in Reno, Nev., may break its contract with Health Plan of Nevada over disagreements regarding Medicaid coverage.
15. CareSource extends West Virginia footprint
Dayton, Ohio-based payer CareSource will more than triple the number of West Virginia counties where it sells marketplace plans next year.
16. Harken Health retreats from Chicago, Atlanta ACA exchanges
UnitedHealthcare subsidiary Harken Health is pulling out of 2017 Affordable Care Act exchanges in Illinois and Georgia.
17. CHRISTUS Health Plan to offer ACA plans in Texas
For 2017, Dallas, Texas-based health insurer CHRISTUS Health Plan will offer individual and family coverage through Texas’s Affordable Care Act exchange for Tyler, Texas-based CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System.
18. Centene looks to hire 100 in Arizona
St. Louis-based insurer Centene hopes to fill 100 jobs in Arizona by Nov. 1.
19. CaliforniaChoice launches 2 small group plans
Orange, Calif.-based payer CaliforniaChoice will offer two Western Health Advantage plans for northern California small businesses effective Dec. 1.
20. BlueCross BlueShield, Catholic Health System launch tiered health plan
BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York and Catholic Health System in Buffalo, N.Y., partnered to offer individuals and small employers a tiered network plan.
This article was updated on Oct. 7 at 1:42 p.m.
More articles about payer issues:
PwC: How healthcare providers and payers differ in their risk management approaches
Meridian Health Plan, Beaumont Health partner to offer health plan in Michigan
CHI Memorial Hospital, UnitedHealthcare sever ties
