1. 20 states with the largest drop in uninsured rates
New health insurance data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows the uninsured rate has dropped in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The numbers include data from calendar year 2013 and calendar year 2014.
2. Pennsylvania health insurer to pay $430k over allegations it sold noncompliant plans
The Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania, a subsidiary of AIG, agreed to pay $430,000 to settle allegations it sold unauthorized health insurance to consumers in Massachusetts, according to the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.
3. Google invests $32.5M in Oscar: 9 things to know about the startup insurer
Oscar Health, the young health insurance startup company based in New York, is growing up fast. Google Capital, Google’s growth equity fund, invested $32.5 million in the company, according to The Wall Street Journal.
4. 20 metro areas with the least competitive commercial health insurance markets
The American Medical Association published its most recent edition of Competition in Health Insurance: A Comprehensive Study of U.S. Markets. The study contains 2013 data from 50 states, including WashingtonD.C., and 388 metropolitan areas.
5. Big Bang Health launches fully integrated healthcare plan
A new fully integrated healthcare plan available to self-funded employers, ACOs and Taft-Hartley organizations across the country recently launched.
6. Fitch: Major health insurers’ credit metrics improved in first half of 2015
The key credit metrics of nine publicly traded health insurance and managed care companies improved in the first half of 2015 compared with the same period of the year prior, according to a recent report by Fitch Ratings.
7. Illinois ends healthcare payments for self-insured employee plans
An agency controlled by Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner (R) is no longer paying healthcare claims for at least 146,000 state workers, retirees and their families receiving coverage through self-insured plans, according to a report from The State Journal-Register.
8. Health coverage canceled for 423k immigrants
This year 423,000 people lost coverage under the Affordable Care Act due to immigration and citizenship issues, nearly four times as many as last year, according to the Associated Press.
9. Humana, Partners in Primary Care to launch South Texas ACO
Humana and San Antonio, Texas-based Partners in Primary Care announced a new accountable care agreement in San Antonio and South Texas.
10. AHA differentiates hospital and insurer M&A at D.C. hearing
American Hospital Association President and CEO Rick Pollack outlined a strong distinction between the mergers taking place in the hospital and health system industry and the consolidation proposed in the health insurance industry.
11. Humana, Doylestown Health Partners to offer accountable care
Humana and Doylestown (Pa.) Health Partners announced plans to offer accountable care to Medicare Advantage members.
12. BCBS of NJ creates value-based care alliance with 22 hospitals
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and seven New Jersey health systems announced the formation of a statewide, value-based care alliance called OMNIA Health Alliance.
More articles on payer issues:
Health insurers in the news: Week in review September 3-9
Physicians, hospitals begin Washington battle over health insurer mega-mergers
10 states with least competitive commercial health insurance markets
