Payer

Higher leverage ratios from acquisition-related debt combined with declining revenue growth and declining interest coverage ratios contributed to deteriorating credit metrics for publicly traded health insurers in the first half of 2016, according to a Fitch Ratings report.

Many marketplace health plans exclude coverage for health services that are more often used by women, resulting in a disproportionate affect on women's care coverage, a recent study found.

A majority of big employers will see a 6 percent increase in employee premium costs next year, fueled by rising pharmacy and healthcare expenses, a National Business Group on Health annual survey found.

Consumers are placing greater emphasis on the cost of their health insurance than provider choice as they opt for cheaper, narrow plans, The New York Times reported.

Seniors in South Florida expressed concern at hearing Friday about two long-term care insurers proposing up to 114 percent premium rate increases, The Palm Beach Post reported.

The Villages Health in Florida, part of The Villages retirement community, will stop accepting Medicare plans Jan. 1, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) called on the state of Illinois to closely review and negotiate reasonable premium rate increases for 2017, focusing on Chicago-based insurer Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois.

Health insurers Anthem and Cigna will not see a ruling on their proposed $54 billion merger by the end of the year, a federal judge said Friday, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Employees under Kansas' State Employee Health Plan could see between 9 percent and 30 percent rate increases on their health insurance premiums next year, The Topeka Capital-Journal reported. 

Charleston, S.C.-based Medical University Hospital is suing BlueChoice Health Plan of South Carolina, a subsidiary of Blue Cross Blue Shield South Carolina, for allegedly failing to reimburse the hospital for providing care to Medicaid patients covered by the BlueChoice managed…