Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina is focusing on strategies that use machine learning and artificial intelligence to share patient data with providers and other healthcare professionals, according to The Herald Sun.

Anthem, Centene, Cigna, Humana, UnitedHealth Group and WellCare Health Plans all reported higher profits in the third quarter of fiscal year 2019. At the same time, Molina Healthcare saw profits decline, while Aetna boosted CVS Health's performance.

UnitedHealth Group appointed a new member to its C-level leadership team, according to the Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal.

Nearly half of employers see curbing healthcare benefit spending as a top priority for 2020; however, only 10 percent ranked managing employees' share of healthcare costs the same way, according to a survey published by telemedicine provider First Stop Health.

Humana saw its revenues and profits increase in the third quarter of fiscal year 2019 thanks in part to continued growth in its Medicare Advantage business.

Florida Blue will be offering its more than 1 million ACA exchange plan members transportation to their physician visits through a new partnership with Lyft.

While star ratings may help ACA exchange health plans identify areas of improvement, it's unclear how much weight consumers will give to the ratings, according to Kaiser Health News.

Pennsylvania insurance regulators fined UnitedHealthcare after an investigation found the health insurer violated mental health parity laws.

UnitedHealth Group plans to extend its housing program for homeless Medicaid recipients, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.

Though healthcare organizations often divide themselves between the "dark" and "bright" sides, with payers and providers swapping sides depending on who's doing the labeling, both groups are actually on the same side.

Indiana temporarily suspended its Medicaid work requirements amid ongoing legal challenges at the federal level.

Diabetic patients who switch to a high-deductible health plan may be more likely to leave name-brand medication unfilled, according to a study funded by Merck and published by JAMA Network Open.

States that implemented programs to help health insurers offset the cost of covering sick members saw lower premiums, according to an analysis from healthcare consulting firm Avalere Health.

The resignation of Patrick Conway, MD, as CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield North Carolina after an alcohol-related car accident is "a major setback, both for Blue Cross NC and for those battling addiction nationwide," a former U.S. representative wrote in an opinion article for The News & Observer.

Haven, the healthcare venture formed by Amazon, JPMorgan Chase and Berkshire Hathaway, has begun testing some of its new insurance offerings on employees in several states, according to Bloomberg. 

UnitedHealthcare rolled out a new benefit aimed at lowering the use of imaging tests, surgeries and opioids for members with acute lower back pain.

Layoffs at UnitedHealth Group, controversy surrounding North Carolina's Medicaid contracts and CMS Medicare star ratings were among the payer topics that piqued the interest of readers in October.

Here are 10 recent articles posted by Becker's Hospital Review that concern payer-provider relationships:

UMass Memorial Health Care patients with UnitedHealthcare insurance may face higher out-of-pocket costs if the insurer and the Worcester, Mass.-based health system can't agree on a new contract, according to the Telegram.

WellCare Health Plans grew its profits and membership as its pending sale to Centene Corp. moves forward, according to Forbes contributor Bruce Japsen.