The following were among this week’s most-viewed payer issues stories on Becker’s Hospital Review.
1. CMS fines UnitedHealthcare $2.5M over improper Medicare denials, delays
CMS fined Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealthcare $2.5 million after an audit found systemic compliance problems with its Medicare health plans that led beneficiaries to experience delayed or denied access to prescription drug coverage.
2. Cigna defers to Anthem in merger appeal
Bloomfield, Conn.-based Cigna will defer to Indianapolis-based Anthem in its appeal of a judge’s decision to block the payers’ proposed $54 billion merger.
3. 5 Humana leaders join stock sale, increasing total cashout to $83M
Thirteen executives and board members from Louisville, Ky.-based Humana have sold a combined 403,706 shares of company stock, raising the total value of stocks sold in the past few weeks to $83.1 million.
4. Children’s Minnesota dumps contract with BCBS
Minneapolis-based Children’s Minnesota terminated its contract with Eagan-based Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, a decision that could result in more than 70,000 patients losing in-network access to the hospital’s services.
5. Harvard Pilgrim Health Care’s operating loss swells to $91.3M
Despite increased revenue, Wellesley, Mass.-based Harvard Pilgrim Health Care saw increasing medical use, pharmacy costs and ACA-established programs affect its 2016 financials.
More articles on payer issues:
What the AHCA means for insurers: 7 things to know
Children’s Minnesota dumps contract with BCBS
Iowa Medicaid payers report more than $100M in losses in 2016
