Payer

Health Care Service Corp., the Chicago-based operator of Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas, opened its Customer First Innovation Lab in Dallas Aug. 24.

Several national health insurers pledged assistance in the wake of Hurricane Harvey's landfall and subsequent catastrophic flooding.

Providers and some patient advocates have argued payers contribute to the opioid epidemic through benefit limits on nonopioid rehabilitative treatments that may incentivize physicians to overprescribe opioids, according to a report by the Center on Health Insurance Reforms, based at…

Indianapolis-based Anthem stopped covering outpatient MRIs and CT scans at hospitals without prior approval, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal.

Becker's Hospital Review reported these 11 contract resolutions and dissolutions between payers and providers in August, beginning with the most recent. 

Crystal Lake, Ill.-based Centegra Health System will stop accepting Aetna Better Health Medicaid plan Sept. 1, according to a Northwest Herald report.

Cleveland Clinic and CareSource, a Medicaid managed care plan in Dayton, Ohio, agreed to extend their in-network contract until Dec. 1.

All five major commercial payers saw their stock prices rise last week.

Fountain Valley, Calif.-based MemorialCare Health System reached a definitive agreement to be back in-network with Anthem Blue Cross after cutting ties in mid-August.

Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna inadvertently revealed the HIV status of some of its members when it mailed letters with information clearly visible through a window on the envelopes about filling prescriptions for HIV medications as well as pre-exposure prophylaxis, a pill…