Payer

Philadelphia-based Temple University Health System and Independence Blue Cross agreed to extend their contract 18 months, effective at the beginning of this year.

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

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, R, blasted Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey as one of the "rich insurance companies" that failed to "help take care of poor, drug-addicted" residents, NJ.com reports. 

Connecticut health insurance exchange officials recently decided to allow insurers to decrease the size of their provider networks next year, signaling a possible shift from broad payer-provider networks in the state, The CT Mirror reports.

The U.S. Department of Justice joined a second whistle-blower lawsuit against Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealth Group that alleges the insurer sought fraudulent Medicare Advantage payments, Kaiser Health News reports. 

Grand Island, Neb.-based CHI Health, part of Englewood, Colo.-based Catholic Health Initiatives, will enter Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska's Medicare Advantage network beginning April 1, Live Well Nebraska reports. 

Kansas senators voted in favor of expanding Medicaid under the ACA Tuesday following Congressional Republicans' decision to pull their repeal and replacement bill from the House floor March 24, The Washington Post reports. 

Pittsburgh-based Highmark Health Plan selected Charles DeShazer, MD, as CMO.

West Orange, N.J.-based RWJBarnabas Health may leave Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna's provider network if the two parties fail to agree on reimbursement rates, NJ.com reports.

America's Health Insurance Plans analyzed how $1 of a commercial health insurance premium is used by payers.