1. UnitedHealthcare is expanding its individual and family ACA marketplace plans to four new states and adding 119 new counties in 13 current states for 2025.
2. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against major insulin manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers — including UnitedHealth’s Optum Rx — over an alleged conspiracy to increase insulin prices.
3. UnitedHealthcare is asking a federal court to prevent CMS from downgrading its Medicare Advantage star ratings based on one phone call.
4. UnitedHealthcare’s national prior authorization gold-card program went into effect Oct. 1.
5. UnitedHealthcare will provide mental healthcare to 1 million children in schools through a partnership with Hazel Health.
6. The Federal Trade Commission is suing Optum Rx, as well as CVS Caremark and Express Scripts, over allegedly inflating insulin prices.
7. OptumCare, located in Basking Ridge, N.J., is planning to lay off 160 employees, as indicated by a WARN notice posted on the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development website.
8. UnitedHealth Group was one of four payers named among the top 100 companies for hybrid work by FlexJobs.
9. UnitedHealth Group published “A Path Forward,” laying out its top policy priorities and vision for the future of the healthcare system.
10. Optum Rx will join the other major pharmacy benefit managers and exclude Humira from some formularies.
At the Becker's 5th Annual Fall Payer Issues Roundtable, taking place November 2–3 in Chicago, payer executives and healthcare leaders will come together to discuss value-based care, regulatory changes, cost management strategies and innovations shaping the future of payer-provider collaboration. Apply for complimentary registration now.