Anthem has come under intense scrutiny by providers in recent months for denying patients' emergency room claims it deemed unwarranted. While a recent congressional report indicates Anthem has largely reversed the policy, some experts suggest the insurer may still be primed to save thousands of dollars on patient claims, The New York Times reports.  By Alyssa Rege & Morgan Haefner - 7/19/18

A joint investigation by NPR and ProPublica examines how the health insurance industry aggregates and utilizes individuals' "lifestyle" data to inform how much they should be charged for health insurance.  By Alyssa Rege - 7/19/18

TriHealth, a five-hospital system in Cincinnati, and St. Elizabeth Healthcare, a six-hospital system in Covington, Ky., will collaborate with Mutual of Omaha and Lumeris on a value-based Medicare Advantage product.  By Morgan Haefner - 7/17/18

The Medical Association of Georgia and the American College of Emergency Physicians sued Anthem for denying payment for some emergency department services, according to a Bloomberg report.  By Morgan Haefner - 7/17/18

Walmart tapped Humana's former vice president of innovation Sean Slovenski to run its healthcare and wellness unit, according to an internal memo obtained by Bloomberg.  By Morgan Haefner - 7/17/18

UnitedHealth Group recorded a 28 percent increase in net income during the second quarter of fiscal year 2018 as its Medicare Advantage membership grew and all its Optum units saw double-digit gains.  By Morgan Haefner - 7/17/18

The House Ways and Means Committee last week approved 11 bills related to expanding health savings accounts, largely along party lines.  By Emily Rappleye - 7/16/18

America's Health Insurance Plans added four health insurers to its ranks, the health insurance industry's largest trade organization said July 16.  By Morgan Haefner - 7/16/18

U.S. antitrust regulators might not attempt to block CVS Health's proposed $68 billion takeover of Aetna, according to Bloomberg, which cites a report by Reorg Research.  By Morgan Haefner - 7/13/18

Hackensack (N.J.) University Medical Center, a part of Hackensack Meridian Health in Edison, N.J., will offer bundled payments for UnitedHealthcare members receiving knee, hip and spine procedures at the hospital, according to NJ Biz.  By Morgan Haefner - 7/13/18

Patients face higher costs and increasingly narrow healthcare networks in ACA exchange markets, a new study reveals.  By Kelly Gooch - 7/12/18

A recent claims review by Aetna revealed that each month, between 300 and 400 of its members are treated for opioid overdoses in emergency rooms.  By Morgan Haefner - 7/12/18

Ten days after closing a deal to buy Louisville, Ky.-based post-acute care provider Kindred Healthcare, Humana and two private equity firms completed a $1.4 billion acquisition of hospice operator Curo Health Services, based in Mooresville, N.C. — paving the way for the trio to become the largest hospice operator in the nation.  By Alia Paavola - 7/12/18

Anthem selected Prakash Patel, MD, as the executive vice president and president of its diversified business group. The appointment, effective Aug. 6, comes as the Optum-like division competes with rivals on the prow for provider acquisitions, according to Forbes contributor Bruce Japsen.  By Morgan Haefner - 7/11/18

More than a dozen health insurers are shrugging off political uncertainty and the Trump administration's recent suspension of the ACA's risk adjustment payments to enter the individual marketplace, according to Bloomberg.  By Morgan Haefner - 7/11/18

Humana paid $128,422 in back wages to 17 employees after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation found the health insurer violated overtime and recordkeeping regulations, the government said July 9.  By Morgan Haefner - 7/11/18

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont claimed the state has systematically underfunded the insurer, causing its reserves to decrease every year since 2014, according to the VTDigger.  By Morgan Haefner - 7/10/18

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association said members will face significant premium increases next year when purchasing plans on the ACA's individual marketplace after President Donald Trump's administration halted risk adjustment payments to insurers, BCBSA said.  By Morgan Haefner - 7/9/18

The Trump administration is freezing billions of dollars in risk adjustment payments, which were established under the ACA to help insurers that accept high-cost patients protect their bottom lines, according to The Washington Post.  By Alia Paavola - 7/9/18

Oceanside, N.Y.-based South Nassau Communities Hospital resolved a dispute with Empire BlueCross BlueShield to keep the hospital in the insurer's network.  By Morgan Haefner - 7/3/18