Cigna's stock dipped 2.9 percent Feb. 1 after the health insurer reported its fourth quarter earnings and HHS proposed a new rule aimed at lowering prescription drug prices, according to Barron's.
Payer
Anthem Medicare Advantage membership grew to more than 1 million beneficiaries in 2018, a 35 percent increase compared to the fourth quarter of 2017, according to Forbes contributor Bruce Japsen.
Today’s payer-provider partnerships are more collaborative than ever. Historically transactional and defined by reimbursement and coverage-based decisions, the association has shifted dramatically as providers find themselves increasingly accountable for cost and quality.
KLAS Research named Deloitte the top value-based care consultant in its 2019 "Best in KLAS" rankings.
Some firms are starting to collect data and sell "risk scores" to providers and payers that aim to identify which patients might misuse opioids, according to Politico.
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Molina Healthcare abruptly notified 19,000 patients that they've been assigned to new physicians after a falling out with South Pasadena, Calif.-based Golden Shore Medical Group, according to The Sacramento Bee.
After an audit found Louisiana's Medicaid program misspent up to $85.5 million from 2016-18, two Republican lawmakers wrote a letter to CMS seeking information to determine if similar issues are occurring in other states, The Advocate reports.
Anthem's shares hit a new record on Jan. 30 after the health insurer released strong financial results and said it will debut its pharmacy benefits management unit ahead of schedule, according to CNBC.
Lawmakers in New Mexico proposed legislation that would open its Medicaid program to paying customers, according to The Telegraph.
Cigna, which now owns pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts, saw its net income fall in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2018, according to recent financial documents.