Payer

Fitch Ratings expects the Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to report a decline in earnings for 2015.

Lawmakers in California will gather Feb. 29 to take action on an insurance tax package that will influence low-income Californians, according to The Sacramento Bee.

The hottest insurer in headlines as of late due to a system failure — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina — finished 2015 breaking even, according to the Winston-Salem Journal.

Republican lawmakers are questioning the long-term viability of eight health insurance co-ops formed under the Affordable Care Act, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.

Twenty-three of the nation's 35 Blues plans reported a total $1.9 billion decrease in earnings during the first three quarters of 2015, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan was the largest contributor, according to Crain's Detroit Business.

After approval from the state Legislature, Michigan's tax on health insurance claims will continue into 2020, according to Crain's Detroit Business.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, the largest health insurer in the state, will no longer offer agents and brokers commissions on individuals health plans, according to the Chicago Tribune.

New York-based health insurance startup Oscar Health has closed a $400 million financing round, led by Fidelity Investments, that values the company at $2.7 billion, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.

Gaining market power on both the provider and payer sides of healthcare has been the name of the game in recent years. In fact, consolidation has become so pervasive that partners have been increasingly likely to attempt dubious mergers, according…

The following insurers made headlines this week. They are listed below, beginning with the most recent.