1. Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield pilots mental, physical Crohn’s care program
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield launched a pilot program that integrates mental and physical care in the treatment of Crohn’s disease.
2. JPMorgan Chase lowers Anthem stock to ‘neutral’
Equity researches at JPMorgan Chase downgraded payer Anthem’s stock from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating.
3. Centene, WellCare subsidiaries win Missouri managed care contracts
Missouri selected St. Louis-based managed care organization Centene’s Home State Health and Tampa, Fla.-based WellCare’s Missouri Care to service its Medicaid program.
4. Cigna to enter individual ACA marketplace in Chicago area
Bloomfield, Conn.-based payer Cigna will sell individual health plans on and off the Affordable Care Act marketplace in the Chicago area for coverage beginning Jan. 1.
5. UnitedHealth reports 23% profit jump, boosts outlook
UnitedHealth Group reported strong revenue growth in the third quarter of 2016, and the Minnetonka, Minn.-based insurer expects the same growth in 2017.
6. Health Partners expands Pennsylvania footprint to 3 counties
Philadelphia-based managed care organization Health Partners Plans will sell its Medicare Advantage policies in three additional Pennsylvania counties effective Oct. 15.
7. BCBS of New Hampshire to cover Medicare Advantage remote healthcare access
Manchester, N.H.-based Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield will extend coverage to physician remote access technologies for its 2017 Medicare Advantage New Hampshire plans.
8. Court rules Anthem, Cigna must release correspondence over alleged contract breaches
Anthem and Cigna will need to hand over documents and emails potentially showing the two payers accused each other of breaching their $54 billion acquisition agreement.
9. Tenet, Humana rift affects 750k in south Florida
Nearly three-quarters of a million south Florida residents may be affected by a contract dispute between Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare and payer Humana.
10. Cigna faces allegations of prescription overcharging tactics
Policyholders of Cigna health plans claimed the payer charged more than 10 times the actual price of some prescription medications.
11. Highmark, Welltok partner to improve senior healthcare
Denver-based customer service software Welltok partnered with Pittsburgh-based payer Highmark to enhance healthcare for Highmark’s Medicare Advantage Passport program members.
12. Baptist Health Plan blames ACA exit on ‘too many healthy members’
Baptist Health Plan officials said the insurer was forced to exit Kentucky’s insurance exchange because it attracted too many healthy customers.
13. Humana shares dip 5% after Medicare star reveal
Shares of Humana fell 5 percent after CMS downgraded the percent of Humana policyholders enrolled in so-called high quality Medicare Advantage plans.
14. Aetna, Regional Cancer Care Associates team up for oncology medical home
Payer Aetna and Hackensack, N.J.-based Regional Cancer Care Associates will collaborate for an oncology medical home to enhance cancer patient care.
15. 6 observations on growing differences between Anthem-Cigna, Aetna-Humana deals
Two potential payer transactions — Aetna’s acquisition of Humana and Anthem’s acquisition of Cigna — may be linked in headlines and antitrust lawsuits, but are forging different paths toward attempted consolidation.
More articles about payer issues:
Feds project 9% average increase for monthly ACA enrollment
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield pilots mental, physical Crohn’s care program
Why some deceased continue to receive Medicare mailings
