Payer

Humana plans to use  an accelerated stock repurchase agreement with Goldman Sachs to repurchase $750 million of its common stock.

Competition dropped in health insurance markets across half of states in 2017, leaving most markets highly concentrated, according to an American Medical Association study.

Commercial health insurance markets in 25 states became more concentrated from 2016-17, according to a study from the American Medical Association. 

CVS Health completed its $70 billion acquisition of Aetna Nov. 28, in a move the companies say will "make a complicated system simpler for all."

UnitedHealth Group will acquire a controlling stake in Polyclinic, a large physician-owned primary and specialty care clinic in Seattle — the latest move in the company's push to expand its direct patient care business, according to The Seattle Times.

CMS Administrator Seema Verma told reporters Nov. 27 the agency will not stop approving Medicaid work requirements despite more than 12,000 Arkansans losing health coverage due to the new rules, according to The Hill.

America's Health Insurance Plans, a national trade group for major health insurers, launched a Facebook ad campaign in six states, likely as part of an effort to boost public perception of insurance giants, according to The Nevada Independent.

New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health, New York City-based Memorial Sloan Kettering and Westmed Medical Group in Westchester, N.Y., will be considered in network for some of health insurance startup Oscar's small business policies.

The CEO of Maryland's largest health insurer, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, said the company is eyeing further expansions into government programs and supports a proposal to require all state residents to purchase health insurance, according to The Baltimore Sun.

Cigna and Express Scripts don't expect their deal to close by a Dec. 8 deadline and have extended their deadline six months.