Payer

New Jersey's governor signed legislation Dec. 23 that allows Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey to reorganize its business structure, according to the Asbury Park Press.

Here are four recent contract agreements or conflicts between payers and providers:

CMS is proposing coverage changes for certain blood-derived products and treatments. 

A Florida man filed a class-action lawsuit against Aetna Life Insurance Co., claiming it systematically denied coverage for a cancer treatment called proton beam radiation therapy, according to court documents.

Oscar Health is taking its first steps to officially file for an initial public offering, the insurer said Dec. 21.

Vitality Health Plan of California, which offers Medicare Advantage plans, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Dec. 18. 

Another seven healthcare organizations agreed to share financial risk with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan under a value-based payment initiative called the "Blueprint for Affordability," the insurer said Dec. 9.

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.