Author: Rylee Wilson

Highmark has named Jay Sheehy as president-elect of Highmark West Virginia.  Mr. Sheehy was most recently chief underwriting officer at Gravie, a health benefits company, according to a July 9 news release. He also held roles at EmblemHealth, AIG and…

Independence Blue Cross has offered buyouts to some employees, the company said in a statement shared with Becker’s.  The company did not say how many employees were given voluntary separation offers.  “This program empowers eligible associates to make informed decisions…

A new Medicare Advantage brand is launching, and insurers are shaking up longstanding commission structures in the program.  Here are seven Medicare Advantage updates Becker’s has reported since June 24: 

Employers should brace for a cycle of increasing healthcare costs, Alan Cohen, chief operating officer of Centivo, told Becker’s.  With billions in Medicaid cuts looming, employers should expect more pressure on the commercial market, Mr. Cohen said. America’s Essential Hospitals…

Humana has named Damian Warren as chief digital officer.  Mr. Warren was most recently head of consumer digital channels experience at U.S. Bank, according to his LinkedIn profile. He joined the company in 2016.  At Humana, Mr. Warren will focus…

In five large counties, payers own more than one-third of the primary care market, according to a study published in the July issue of Health Affairs Scholar found.  Payers, including Optum, Aetna, Humana and Cigna, owned 4.2% of the primary…

A silver-level insurance plan costs nearly 20% of the median monthly household income in Vermont, according to WalletHub.  The personal finance company published a ranking of states spending the most and least on health insurance July 10. WalletHub calculated the…

UnitedHealth Group has named Mike Cotton as CEO of the company’s Medicaid business, the company confirmed to Becker’s.  The role of Medicaid CEO had been vacant after former CEO Krista Nelson was named COO at Optum Health in May. Bobby…

Insurers own less than 5% of primary care providers, but this share has grown significantly since 2016, a study published in the July issue of Health Affairs Scholar found.  Researchers calculated the share of primary care providers owned by Optum,…

Justice Department officials have questioned former UnitedHealth Group employees as part of an investigation into the company’s Medicare Advantage billing practices, The Wall Street Journal reported July 9.  The Journal first reported in May that the company was under criminal…