The following payers made headlines this week, beginning with the most recent.
1. Anthem vacates 2018 ACA exchanges in Indiana, Wisconsin
Indianapolis-based Anthem said it will pull out of the ACA exchanges in Indiana and Wisconsin for 2018.
2. Midland Memorial Hospital, Aetna reach 3-year in-network agreement
Midland (Texas) Memorial Hospital and Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna will continue in-network access for Aetna members at Midland Memorial facilities.
3. Passport Health Plan says planned expansion dependent on ACA
A proposed expansion of Louisville, Ky.-based Passport Health Plan — a Medicaid managed care organization — hinges on the future of the ACA.
4. Oscar Health extends 2018 ACA exchange footprint in 5 states
New York City-based startup Oscar Health will extend its ACA exchange presence in Ohio, Texas, New Jersey, Tennessee and California for 2018.
5. Iowa's only statewide ACA exchange insurer requests 43% premium hike
Minnetonka, Minn.-based Medica, the only payer offering ACA exchange plans statewide in Iowa for 2018, seeks an average 43.5 percent rate increase for individual plans next year.
6. BCBS of Illinois to offer plans on ACA exchange
BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois, the state's largest insurer, is preparing to return to the ACA exchange in 2018 despite the unpredictability surrounding the healthcare law.
7. UnitedHealthcare, University of Chicago Medicine solve contract dispute
Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealthcare and University of Chicago Medicine reached an agreement Monday to keep the medical center and its physicians in the insurer's network.
8. CMS clears Cigna to resume selling prescription Medicare plans
CMS lifted sanctions on Bloomfield, Conn.-based Cigna restricting the payer from marketing and enrolling members in its Medicare Advantage prescription drug and Medicare Part D plans.
9. Saint Francis Hospital in Oklahoma, BCBS reach in-network agreement
Saint Francis Muskogee (Okla.) and Tulsa-based Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma are back in network after terminating their interim in-network agreement June 1.
10. Highmark in Delaware requests 34% rate increase for individual market plans
Wilmington-based Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware requested an average 33.6 percent rate hike for individual ACA exchange plans next year.
11. BCBS of Michigan seeks 27% premium increase for ACA exchange plans
Detroit-based Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan wants to raise premiums for its individual ACA exchange plans 26.9 percent on average next year — a figure the payer says would increase to 31.7 percent if federal subsidies are discontinued.
12. 2 health systems, investor complete acquisition of Evergreen Health plan
The Maryland Insurance Administration approved three investors' acquisition of Baltimore-based Evergreen Health.
More articles on payer issues:
4 things to know about BCBSA's 2016 community health investments
Aetna moving HQs to attract 'younger people, innovation'
Cigna CEO: 2017 growth could involve Medicare Advantage deals