18 payers in the headlines

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

1. Independence Blue Cross extends coverage to MDxHealth prostate cancer test
Health insurer Independence Blue Cross will cover Belgium-based MDxHealth's prostate cancer test. 

2. Wellmark pulls individual ACA plans from South Dakota exchange
Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield will drop its individual Affordable Care Act plans in South Dakota next year.

3. CareSource expands Medicare Advantage footprint to Ohio
For the first time, health insurer CareSource will sell Medicare Advantage plans in Ohio, following its advantage plan expansion in Kentucky and Indiana earlier this year.  

4. Cigna expands telehealth services to millions
To cut healthcare costs, Cigna is extending its telehealth services in 2017 to most of its employer-sponsored group plans and on- and off-exchange plans.

5. BCBS of Texas commits to offering ACA plans for 2017 
Health insurer BlueCross BlueShield of Texas confirmed it will sell on- and off-exchange health plans statewide next year.

6. Aetna to subsidize Apple Watch for health monitoring
Aetna will subsidize Apple Watches for select large employers and individual policyholders during November's open enrollment as a healthy living initiative. 

7. Providence Health & Services and Premera Blue Cross reinstate contract
Providence Health & Services and health insurer Premera Blue Cross signed a letter of agreement nullifying the organizations' previous decision to forgo a contract renewal.

8. Indianapolis insurer plans mass hiring
Indianapolis-based insurer Renaissance plans to fill 82 customer service and claims processing positions as it ramps up to manage Medicare Supplement plans in various states.

9. IU Health Plan drops out of ACA exchange
Indiana University Health Plans, a subsidiary of Indiana University Health in Indianapolis, pulled its individual plans from the exchange after regulators approved a 15 percent rate hike.

10. BCBS Illinois' parent to cut 70% of IT staff, move jobs offshore
The parent company of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Illinois, Chicago-based Health Care Service Corporation, notified employees it plans to lay off 70 percent of its IT infrastructure staff and outsource system maintenance jobs to a foreign country.

11. BCBS of Tennessee drops ACA plans in state's 3 largest markets
Health insurer BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee will pull back its Affordable Care Act footprint in three of Tennessee's most populous regions for 2017.

12. Humana partners with Spry Labs for hackathon
Humana teamed up with Spry Labs, a subsidiary of Cincinnati-based Cintrifuse, to host a hackathon in hopes of creating a more efficient way to link policyholders and healthcare providers.

13. Montana health insurer to close next year
Helena, Mont.-based health insurer New West Health Services will shutter by mid-2017.

14. BCBS of Nebraska to exit ACA marketplace
Health insurer Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska said it will leave the state's Affordable Care Act exchange effective Jan. 1, citing instability and decreased competition under the health law.  

15. Penn State Health St. Joseph to accept Geisinger health plans
Geisinger Health Plan policyholders will be accepted at Reading, Pa.-based Penn State Health St. Joseph effective Oct. 1.

16. BCBS of North Carolina will maintain ACA plans in all counties
Health insurer Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina affirmed it will offer Affordable Care Act plans in all North Carolina counties next year despite millions in exchange losses.

17. Anthem Blue Cross contracts with the University of California

Health insurer Anthem Blue Cross will administer its self-funded preferred provider plans to faculty, staff and retirees at all of the University of California's campuses and medical centers. 

18. Zoom+ health plan exits Oregon's ACA exchange

Zoom+ withdrew individual and group plans from Portland, Ore.'s Affordable Care Act exchange for next year.  

More articles about payer issues:
Without more states expanding Medicaid, more than 600k veterans will go without insurance in 2017
Vermont receives preliminary federal approval for all payer model
20 insurance startups join innovation hub

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