Payer

Consumers reported difficulty deciding on a health plan this open enrollment period due to concerns about rising costs and confusion regarding health benefits, according to a recent survey by Copatient.

Alabama's only insurer to sell individual plans on the state's Affordable Care Act exchange will increase premium rates by an average 36 percent next year, The Huntsville Times reports.

Two weeks before open enrollment begins, CMS' Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt discussed his expectations and predicted challenges leading up to the Nov. 1 start date on Politico's Pulse Check.

Health insurer Cigna will offer individual policies on and off the Affordable Care Act marketplace in the Raleigh, N.C., area for coverage starting Jan. 1.

The following insurers made headlines this week. They are listed below, beginning with the most recent.

Federal officials predict monthly enrollment in the Affordable Care Act marketplace will increase in 2017, even with rising premiums and major insurers exiting the marketplace, reports The New York Times.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield launched a pilot program that integrates mental and physical care in the treatment of Crohn's disease, NJ Spotlight reports.

Errors in big data may lead some payers like UnitedHealthcare and Kaiser Permanente to solicit deceased individuals for Medicare plans, Los Angeles Times reports.

Equity researches at JPMorgan Chase downgraded payer Anthem's stock from an "overweight" rating to a "neutral" rating Monday, according to Community Financial News.  

The State of Missouri selected St. Louis-based managed care organization Centene's Home State Health and Tampa, Fla.-based WellCare's Missouri Care to service its Medicaid program.