Author: Jakob Emerson

From heading back to the office after a two-year hiatus to major expansions of company headquarters, here are five office moves by payers this month:

Payers and employers need to renew promotion of smoking cessation programs as smoking levels appear to be on the rise nationwide, according to a report from the Evernorth Research Institute.

Steve Hamman is out as president of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, according to WCIA News. It is currently unclear whether Mr. Hamman was fired or resigned.

Major differences in federal and state regulations for payer network standards are likely leading to care access inequities, according to a report by Washington, D.C.-based Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute.

Roundstone Insurance is planning a major company expansion with the purchase of 65,000 square feet of office space for its new headquarters in suburban Cleveland.

Aetna is being sued by Vanguard Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery for an alleged "unreasonably low" reimbursement rate for services from the Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based provider.

The University of Vermont Health Network has agreed to commercial contract terms with UnitedHealthcare. 

Centivo has named Marc Backon as COO. 

Payers often lack information on members' race and ethnicity that can help to address underlying causes of health disparities and provide cost-effective coverage to members, according to Managed Healthcare.

Vermont state officials say 5,000 UnitedHealthcare members are at risk of losing coverage within the University of Vermont Medicine Health Network, up from the 3,000 estimated earlier this month, according to VTDigger.