Payer

As a physician in private practice for almost 35 years, I have had the opportunity to witness multiple changes in the health care system.

Bloomfield, Conn.-based Cigna International's new health insurance ads — aimed at global travelers — represent the insurer's first solely digital ad campaign, Campaign Magazine reported.

The U.S. Department of Justice denied Anthem's request for an expedited trial regarding the department's challenge to block the insurer's $54 billion acquisition of Cigna, Bloomberg reported.

Next year UnitedHealthcare and Aetna hope to join the country's largest state Medicaid program, Medi-Cal, in San Diego and Sacramento Counties, California Healthline reported.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas will sever ties with Houston-based Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, putting approximately 100,000 patients out of network with the providers' physicians, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Anthem filed papers to the U.S. Department of Justice Tuesday arguing its transaction with Cigna would cut consumer cost, expand coverage and fortify Affordable Care Act online exchanges, Bloomberg reported.

Baltimore-based CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield upped its requested premium rate increases for 2017 individual plans from 12 percent for HMO plans and 15.3 percent for PPO plans to 27.8 percent and 36.6 percent, respectively.

UPMC, Geisinger, Aetna and three other health plans contended for double-digit increases on individual rates at a public hearing Wednesday, despite consumers arguing the higher costs would force them to purchase inadequate plans or exit the marketplace. 

Average premiums in the Affordable Care Act's individual marketplace were 10 to 21 percent lower in the first year of the law's implementation, even while providing better coverage, according to a recent analysis conducted by Health Affairs. 

Anthem saw financial gains in the second quarter of 2016 due to an increase in Medicaid membership, but higher costs from the insurer's Affordable Care Act plans dragged down its bottom line.