From a shareholder seeking to separate the company’s CEO and board chair roles, to Optum planning to buy a Massachusetts medical group, here are 10 updates on UnitedHealth Group and its subsidiaries that Becker’s has reported since Sept. 19: 1.…
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Alignment Health Plan and Intermountain Health have launched a Medicare Advantage plan together for older people in Nevada, according to an Oct. 14 news release. Alignment said the co-branded HMO received five stars for 2026 and will offer $0 premiums…
The Minnesota Department of Commerce reached an agreement with Strategic Limited Partners, a company selling what Minnesota called “unauthorized and deceptive” health insurance products, to force it out of the state’s market. The department said in an Oct. 14 news…
The Medicare open enrollment period runs from October 15 to December 7, setting insurers’ 2026 membership and revenue trajectories as beneficiaries select Medicare Advantage and Part D coverage. The 2026 cycle is unfolding amid a projected MA enrollment decline, lower…
On Nov. 1, current Healthcare.gov enrollees in Illinois will move to state-based health insurance marketplace, Get Covered Illinois, for their 2026 coverage, according to a news release confirming CMS approval this summer. In 2023, Illinois passed a law instituting a…
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The No Surprises Act is succeeding in protecting patients from unexpected medical bills, but insurers and provider groups remain divided on what is driving rising costs tied to the Independent Dispute Resolution process and how regulators should respond. Since the…
The Office of Personnel Management announced 2026 federal worker health premiums this month, ahead of the open enrollment period. The health benefits season runs from Nov. 10 through Dec. 8. Shane Stevens, OPM’s associate director for healthcare and insurance, said…
Sens. Ron Wyden, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Raphael Warnock sent a letter Oct. 10 to Deloitte, Conduent, General Dynamics Information Technology and Gainwell Technologies probing how they determine Medicaid access. The letter comes amid broader legislation that enforces stricter…
CMS released its Medicare Advantage star ratings for 2026 on Oct. 9. Strong ratings, with five stars being the highest score, lead to plans earning quality bonus payments. Eighteen plans achieved a 5-star status, versus only seven last year. These…
CMS shared its Medicare Advantage star ratings for 2026 on Oct. 9. Strong ratings lead to plans earning quality bonus payments, while plans that consistently underperform may encounter more oversight and a higher risk of contract cancellation. The number of…