Payer

The following payers made headlines this week, beginning with the most recent.

Raleigh, N.C.-based Community Care Physician Network and Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna collaborated for rural healthcare initiatives in North Carolina for Medicare Advantage policyholders. 

The 36 independent, locally-operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association companies spent more than $250 million on community health initiatives last year, according to the association's 2016 The Health of America Community Investment report.

Mark Bertolini, CEO of Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna, said the company's decision to relocate its headquarters is "an investment in attracting different kinds of people into our organization," according to a CNBC report.

David Cordani, CEO of Bloomfield, Conn.-based Cigna, said the payer has between $7 billion and $14 billion in capital to use for mergers and acquisitions this year, according to Reuters.

Here are 15 updates on insurers leaving, entering or remaining in the 2018 ACA exchanges. Note: These are preliminary filings. Insurers have until Sept. 27 to send final agreements and confirmed plan lists to CMS.

Indianapolis-based Anthem said it will pull out of the ACA exchanges in Indiana and Wisconsin for 2018, according to Bloomberg.  

Midland (Texas) Memorial Hospital and Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna will continue in-network access for Aetna members at Midland Memorial facilities, CBS 7 reports.

A proposed expansion of Louisville, Ky.-based Passport Health Plan — a Medicaid managed care organization — hinges on the future of the ACA, according to WDRB.

New York City-based startup Oscar Health will extend its ACA exchange presence in Ohio, Texas, New Jersey, Tennessee and California for 2018.