6 payers in the headlines

From UnitedHealth Group more than doubling its profits in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2017 to Molina Healthcare eliminating its COO position, here are six payers making headlines this week. 

1. ACEP fires back at Anthem for its discretionary ED policy
The American College of Emergency Physicians criticized Anthem's recent moves to incentivize patients with nonemergent symptoms to seek care outside of the emergency department.

2. Humana faces backlash for hiking breast cancer drug copays
Humana recently reclassified Herceptin — an intravenous drug used to treat metastatic breast cancer — as a nonpreferred drug in some Florida markets.

3. UnitedHealth's profits more than double in Q4, fueled by one-time tax boost
UnitedHealth Group more than doubled its profits in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2017, largely due to a one-time tax benefit and continued growth in its Optum arms. 

4. Molina Healthcare COO to retire; company to no longer have COO role
Molina Healthcare COO Terry Bayer plans to retire in the next several weeks. Going forward, the company is eliminating the corporate COO role. 

5. CVS says it will maintain Aetna's Hartford headquarters
CVS, which recently agreed to buy health insurer Aetna in a $69 billion deal, will keep Aetna's headquarters in Hartford, Conn.

6. Centene sued for allegedly failing to provide adequate access to physicians: 5 things to know
An unidentified number of plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against Centene Corp. in federal court Thursday, claiming the health insurer failed to provide patients with adequate access to in-network physicians in approximately 15 states.

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