Payer

A trio of health insurance startups announced significant moves that expand their reach or bolster their offerings.

New legislation from Reps. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., and Don Beyer, D-Va., marks the latest effort to promote universal healthcare through Medicare.

Tapped in January to oversee the state's COVID-19 vaccine rollout, Blue Shield of California largely has stepped back from that role, according to the Los Angeles Times.  

Aparna Abburi, president of Medicare and CareAllies for Cigna, has been prioritizing keeping her "eyes and ears close to the ground" as she looks to keep up with trends and bolster member experiences.

Following national guidance encouraging some vaccinated individuals to receive a COVID-19 booster, some Blue Cross and Blue Shield affiliates are already offering to fully cover the shots. 

A collaborative effort between Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger Health Plan and technology solutions company Cognizant has led the insurer to be one of the first to comply with CMS' new interoperability mandate. 

Cigna is rolling out COVID-19 vaccination and testing requirements for its employees as they return to worksites.

SilverSummit Healthplan, Centene's Nevada subsidiary, earned a state Medicaid managed care contract, the insurer announced Aug. 18.

CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield announced former Anthem and Aetna executive Joe Scibilia is joining as vice president of commercial market sales for public sector and labor markets.

In a piece for GCN, GetInsured co-founder Shankar Srinivasan said software-as-a-service  platforms have the potential to make significant changes in insurance rates and premiums among state marketplaces.