While companies across the U.S. implement work-from-home policies to help combat the spread of COVID-19, UnitedHealth Group has instructed its employees who aren't sick, high-risk or facing other obstacles to go to work, according to The Washington Post.

Some commercial payers are moving to cover cost-sharing and out-of-pocket costs for physician office visits related to COVID-19 screening, according to Forbes contributor Bruce Japsen.

The CPT Editorial Panel approved a new CPT code for coronavirus laboratory testing services, according to the American Medical Association.

High-deductible health plans will be able to keep their status even if they waive cost-sharing for COVID-19 tests before a member's deductible is met, according to an IRS notice.

The following payer executives changed their positions in the past few weeks.

Moody's Investors Service changed its outlook of U.S. Anesthesia Partners, a group of nearly 5,000 anesthesia providers, from stable to negative due to a contract termination from UnitedHealth Group.

A group of national payers all agreed to waive copays for tests for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, according to The Hill. 

CMS is telling Medicare Advantage plans to waive certain requirements to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, among beneficiaries.

As more providers and insurers consolidate, the chances that both sides will run into disagreements over their in-network contracts have heightened, according to a report from the Center on Health Insurance Reforms from the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. 

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina won its bid to be the third-party health plan administrator for more than 727,000 state employees, teachers, retirees and others.

Blue Shield of California is the first health plan to pay for rapid whole genome sequencing for critically ill children so physicians can quickly identify and decode the root causes of rare genetic disorders.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas agreed to reimburse members for out-of-network emergency claims due to delays and incorrect advertising, the Texas Department of Insurance said March 6.

Launched in 2018, a co-branded health plan from the Cleveland Clinic and startup Oscar now serves eight counties in Ohio, according to Crain's Cleveland Business.

One of the insurance industry's largest trade groups, American's Health Insurance Plans, said its members will cover physician-ordered diagnostic testing for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota named three new members to its executive team March 2.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina saw its net income drop nearly 30 percent in fiscal year 2019 as medical expenses for its members climbed, the health insurer said March 4.

Humana has a new value-based care payment program that centers on social determinants of health — and New Orleans-based Ochsner Health System is the model's first participant, the insurer said March 4.

Alignment Healthcare raised another $135 million in funding, the seven-year-old Medicare Advantage company said March 4.

Commercial health insurers and industry trade groups are taking action to prepare members for the novel coronavirus.

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield will waive any out-of-pocket costs for eligible members needing insulin and diabetic medical supplies before their deductible is met.