Payer

Valhalla, N.Y.-based Westchester Medical Center Health Network and Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna agreed to continue covering patients through their health network, the Poughkeepsie Journal reports.

Atlanta-based Piedmont Healthcare and Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna signed a contract providing Aetna members coverage at all Piedmont facilities and clinics through Feb. 28, 2019.

Coordinated care organizations in Oregon — which oversee Medicaid funds and services for the state — will face increasing earnings limits this year, according to The Register-Guard.

HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell said Thursday the department is making operational changes and meeting with insurers to stimulate competition in Affordable Care Act marketplaces, especially those facing limited health plan options next year, Kaiser Health News reports.

HHS is encouraging health insurers to offer six new simple choice plans — which standardize deductibles and annual cost-sharing limits — in an effort to ease plan selection, Kaiser Health News reports. 

Here are seven states that saw the largest increases in low-cost silver health insurance premiums this year, compared to 2015, USA Today reports.

Insurers in Minnesota requested premium rate increases ranging from about 36 percent to over 66 percent on individual Affordable Care Act exchange plans next year.

HHS' report showing most people purchasing health plans through Affordable Care Act exchanges next year can buy plans for $75 or less is directed at a specific group of individuals, not all Americans, The Washington Post reports.

Louisville, Ky.-based Humana will hire 400 temporary workers to review and process individual and Medicare Advantage applications, WDRB reports. 

Blue Bell, Pa.-based Commonwealth Health and Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna will establish a clinically integrated network including a new health plan.