Anthem, Cigna may have to release private correspondence

A federal court official recommended correspondence between health insurers Anthem and Cigna be released for their case with the U.S. Department of Justice, as the documents and emails may reveal contract breaches between the companies, Bloomberg reports. 

In a September legal filing, the DOJ wrote Indianapolis-based Anthem and Bloomfield, Conn.-based Cigna accused each other of breaching their $54 billion acquisition agreement. An adviser to the judge overseeing the DOJ's lawsuit against Anthem's acquisition of Cigna said the correspondence could be used as evidence the two insurers do not get along and would lack efficiency as a single entity.

Anthem and Cigna disagree and argue the documents are privileged communications and should not be unveiled. Judge adviser Richard Levie agreed some of the documents should be allowed to remain private, according to the report.    

The trial is slated to begin Nov. 21.  

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