Payer

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System and UnitedHealthcare reached a tentative agreement on their contract July 31.

The following payer executives changed their positions in July.

UnitedHealth Group's second quarter financials, a new Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota policy and emergency room costs were among the payer topics that piqued the interest of readers in July.

Humana saw its operating income and profits jump in the second quarter of fiscal year 2019, as the payer expects a 16 percent growth in Medicare Advantage enrollment in 2019, according to recent financial statements. 

Molina Healthcare reported lower operating income and profit in the second quarter of fiscal year 2019, the health insurer said in an earnings release. 

The CMS has launched a pilot program that is based on an industry-standard application programming interface that gives providers access to patients' claims data, according to a July 30 news release.

Adding a public health insurance option to the current healthcare system is currently more popular among voters than "Medicare for All," but the next round of Democratic presidential debates could change that, the latest Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll…

UnitedHealth Group is expanding its supplemental health plan business with its recent acquisition of a Texas-based company, according to the Star Tribune.

Aetna reversed its coverage policy for a one-time treatment of spinal muscular atrophy weeks after UnitedHealthcare made a similar move, according to Business Insider.

Achieving successful payer-provider relationships is increasingly important for hospitals and health systems as they negotiate value-based care contracts.