Payer

Health systems that own a health plan were able to cushion the financial blow of the COVID-19 pandemic better than others, according to a report from PwC's Health Research Institute.

Sandhya Rao, MD, is the new CMO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, the insurer said Dec. 17. 

Improved health outcomes for Intermountain Healthcare patients with Medicare coverage through UnitedHealthcare is the goal of a new ACO launched by the organizations.

A contract between Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas and Houston-based CHI St. Luke's Health is set to expire Dec. 16 without a new agreement. The contract termination will affect about 65,000 BCBS of Texas members, according to the Houston…

The following payer executives changed their positions in December so far.

Centene signed a definitive agreement to acquire Pantherx, a Pittsburgh-based pharmacy specializing in drugs to treat rare diseases, the insurer said Dec. 15. 

Centene is pausing expansion of its campus in Clayton, Mo., because of high crime rates, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is partnering with a provider group that is opening six primary care centers in the state, the insurer said Dec. 14. 

Tufts Health Plan has to divest one of its subsidiaries so its merger with Harvard Pilgrim Health Care can move forward, according to the Department of Justice. UnitedHealth Group has already come through as the buyer.

Small and family-owned pharmacies are being left out of a Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina initiative to help members buy healthcare-related items, according to The News & Observer.