1. Major employers urge Hartford HealthCare, Anthem leaders to ‘resolve this dispute once and for all’
Representatives from some of Massachusetts’ biggest employers called on the CEOs of Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare and Anthem to end a monthslong feud over reimbursement rates.
2. Aetna CEO: Taking on Apple’s business model a ‘real deal’
Although Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini deferred comment on a potential $70 billion deal with CVS Health, he said Aetna’s future delivery system will harness personalized treatment.
3. How Aetna, Anthem, Humana, Cigna and UnitedHealth fared in Q3
Five of American’s largest commercial payers — Aetna, Anthem, Humana, Cigna and UnitedHealth Group — reported strong earnings in the third quarter of fiscal year 2017.
4. AmeriHealth Caritas to lay off 400, cease Iowa Medicaid management
Managed care health plan AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa will leave the state’s Medicaid program at the end of this month.
5. Humana to lay off 1,300 employees
Louisville, Ky.-based Humana will lay off 1,300 employees in early 2018.
6. Florida’s largest insurer to stop covering a brand-name opioid
Florida Blue, part of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, will drop coverage of OxyContin, a brand name prescription opioid, Jan. 1, 2018.
7. Fitch: BCBS financial performance improves significantly in first half of 2017
Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies witnessed significant financial improvement in the first half of this year.
8. Anthem CEO Joseph Swedish to be replaced by former UnitedHealth executive
Gail K. Boudreaux has been named president and CEO of Indianapolis-based Anthem and appointed to the company’s board of directors, effective Nov. 20. She is replacing Joseph Swedish, who will stay on as executive chairman of the board until May 2018 and then serve as senior adviser through May 2020.
9. Kaiser Permanente Northwest expands Oregon footprint with PeaceHealth agreement
Vancouver, Wash.-based PeaceHealth and Portland, Ore.-based Kaiser Permanente Northwest collaborated on healthcare delivery and coverage in Lane County, Ore.
10. Florida hospital, UnitedHealthcare reach contract impasse
Negotiations between Sarasota (Fla.) Memorial Hospital and UnitedHealthcare are stalling.
11. Molina Healthcare posts $97M net loss as restructuring efforts continue
Following leadership changes and layoffs earlier this year, Molina Healthcare reported a net loss in the third quarter of fiscal year 2017, but said it made significant progress on its restructuring plan to save $200 million by Jan. 1.
12. Kentucky health system to shut down insurance arm, lay off 34 employees
Louisville, Ky.-based Baptist Health plans to shut down its health plan operation in 2018.
More articles on payer issues:
Humana’s net income up 11% in Q3
AmeriHealth Caritas to lay off 400, cease Iowa Medicaid management
Humana sues CMS for $600M+ in risk corridors payments
