Payer

Despite seeing revenue gains and significant membership growth, three of the largest health insurtech providers — companies that blend technological innovations with traditional insurance — posted losses exceeding $570 million in 2021.

Five legal actions involving payers were taken in the last week, including a lawsuit against a former Anthem president and a denial of Optum's bid to drop a case.

Anthem, which owns Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in 14 states, plans to change its name to Elevance Health. 

Anthem filed a lawsuit March 7 against a former highly compensated president, alleging he stole trade secrets and breached agreements related to his restricted stock.

As many as 16 million people could lose their Medicaid coverage when the HHS public health emergency ends, according to a March 9 analysis by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Urban Institute.

The National Committee of Quality Assurance launched a health equity resource center online to help payers and hospitals address health equity, according to a March 9 press release. 

The Supreme Court denied Optum's bid to drop a class-action lawsuit that alleges the company worked with Aetna and used "dummy code" to make administrative fees appear to be billable medical charges. 

The AMA has historically been against single-payer healthcare, but an increase in support for the policy among medical students may mean it will have to change its stance before too long, The New Yorker reported Feb. 22.

A handful of payers were flagged by HHS' Office of the Inspector General in the last six months for coding or reimbursement errors. 

America's Health Insurance Plans and the Alliance of Community Health Plans have commented on the proposed 2023 changes to Medicare Advantage and Part D programs.