• Blue Cross Blue Shield in the headlines: 5 updates

    From canceled acquisitions to contract challenges in court, these are five key updates about Blue Cross Blue Shield companies reported by Becker's in 2024:
  • Top challenges, opportunities facing insurance industry in 2024, per 350 execs

    Technology modernization and the alignment of investments with organizational goals, along with picking the right vendor to partner with, are top of mind for payer executives in 2024, according to a Jan. 30 survey published by digital solutions firm HealthEdge.
  • Medicare Advantage in the headlines: 10 recent updates

    It has been a busy few weeks for Medicare Advantage policy. CMS proposed a slight cut in benchmark rates, and payer executives were split on the impact of rising costs in the business. 
  • Payers ranked by Medicaid losses in 2023

    Medicaid redeterminations began in April 2023, and all major payers have released their 2023 earnings, revealing which recorded the largest enrollment losses in the Medicaid market.
  • Cigna to buy back $3.2B in stock

    The Cigna Group is buying back $3.2 billion in common stock through accelerated repurchase agreements with Deutsche Bank and Bank of America, the company announced Feb. 15. 
  • 11 private equity-backed Medicare Advantage companies

    Most private investments in the Medicare Advantage space go to companies specializing in marketing and selling MA plans, according to a Feb. 13 report from the Private Equity Stakeholder Project. 
  • Health insurance may have a looming climate change problem

    It's no secret that climate change is already affecting insurance markets in places like Florida — but the health insurance industry could be the next to face rising coverage costs as a result of a warming planet, The Wall Street Journal reported Feb. 14.
  • Two big payer deals break up

    Two proposed payer deals have been called off in the face of scrutiny from state officials. 
  • CVS' Aetna expands into home kidney care

    CVS' Aetna will begin offering in-home care services to its Medicare Advantage members with chronic kidney disease. 
  • 5 prior authorization updates

    From New Jersey signing the nation's most comprehensive reform bill into law, to Inova outlining challenges to the CMS administrator, here are five updates on prior authorization that Becker's has reported since Jan. 26: 
  • Humana sued over Medicare Advantage 340B payments

    Montgomery, Ala.-based Baptist Health is suing Humana, alleging the insurer's Medicare Advantage plan underpaid the hospital for drugs purchased through the 340B program. 
  • UnitedHealth in the headlines: 12 updates

    From its president and COO announcing his retirement plans to an upheld win in a facility fee case, here are 12 updates on UnitedHealth Group that Becker's has reported since Jan. 18: 
  • Cigna adds HelloFresh benefits for employers

    Cigna will offer discounted access to meal kit service HelloFresh to employers. 
  • Fewer private equity dollars flowing to Medicare Advantage

    Facing rising interest rates and regulatory scrutiny, private equity investments in the Medicare Advantage space are slowing down, according to the Private Equity Stakeholder Project. 
  • FTC obtains $195M judgment against Florida payer, imposes healthcare ban over 'bogus' product 

    The FTC has obtained a $195 million judgment in a Florida federal court against Simple Health Plans and its CEO Steven Dorfman for selling and enrolling members in "sham" health plans that "effectively left consumers uninsured and exposed to limitless medical expenses."
  • 4 Medicaid expansion updates

    From Georgia suing the Biden administration to extend the state's partially expanded program to a Florida group launching a ballot initiative, here are four state Medicaid expansion updates Becker's has reported since Feb. 2: 
  • Kaiser Permanente reports health plan membership decline

    Kaiser Permanente reported a decline in health plan membership, driven by slowed job growth. 
  • Will insurers cut back on Medicare Advantage extras?

    Challenges in the Medicare Advantage market may force insurers to cut back on extra benefits like vision and dental in 2025, The Wall Street Journal columnist David Wainer wrote Feb. 11. 
  • BCBS plans ranked by profit margin in Q3

    Elevance Health had the largest profit margin in the third quarter of 2023 among the leading Blue Cross Blue Shield companies, according to a February analysis by Mark Farrah Associates.
  • 6 insurers, 6 opinions on rising Medicare Advantage costs

    Every major insurer has reported that Medicare Advantage costs are going up. 

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