Payer

While U.S. lawmakers passed a mental health parity law in 2008 requiring insurers to provide comparable coverage for medical and mental health treatments, payers are continuing to deny claims, limit coverage and skirt the law, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.

Stakeholders and lawmakers in these five states and cities recently proposed or signed into law changes to their health insurance programs, as reported by Becker's Hospital Review.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and its subsidiary companies saw operating performance improve in fiscal year 2018.

Washington state lawmakers passed a law to implement a public option health insurance plan, according to NPR.

A federal judge should give final approval to CVS Health and Aetna to close their $69 billion deal, urged five states where the companies have substantial operations, according to Bloomberg Law.  

Walmart is recommending its employees use one of 800 imaging centers found to provide more accurate diagnoses, according to Kaiser Health News.

HCSC Ventures, the wholly owned investment firm of Blues parent Health Care Service Corp., led a $42 million funding round for Solera Health, a social determinants of health startup.

Here are seven recent articles posted by Becker's Hospital Review that concern payer-provider relationships:

Oscar Health improved its underwriting profits in the first quarter of 2019 as the health insurer startup eyes further expansion, according to Forbes contributor Bruce Japsen.

Chicago-based Loretto Hospital is consolidating its intensive care unit and laying off an undisclosed number of employees as insurance reimbursement lags, the hospital's CEO told NPR affiliate WBEZ.