Payer

Passing tough accreditation standards may lead to competitive advantage among stakeholders

CMS will expand its Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design Model to include 25 states in 2019.

From Cigna announcing an alliance with San Jose, Calif.-based Good Samaritan Health System to Hartford HealthCare ending its contract dispute with Anthem, here are four notable payer stories making headlines this week.

Becker's Hospital Review reported these six contract resolutions and dissolutions between payers and providers since Nov. 3, beginning with the most recent. 

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas members gained in-network access to Amarillo-based Northwest Texas Health System under a new contract.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey named Kevin Conlin president and CEO, effective Jan. 1.

Anthem named Greg Poulakos president of Anthem's life and disability business, effective Nov. 13.

Cincinnati-based Mercy Health's The Jewish Hospital-Mercy Health, located in a Cincinnati suburb, joined Anthem's Medicare Advantage provider network.

San Jose, Calif.-based Good Samaritan Health System and its 800-physician medical group will operate a joint health plan with Cigna.

Two analysts project President Donald Trump's administration is unlikely to block CVS Health's proposed $66 billion-plus bid for Aetna, according to the Hartford Courant.