The following insurers made headlines this week. They are listed below, beginning with the most recent.
1. Humana hired this man to improve its social media presence
Humana hired Chris Strub to help improve the health of citizens in its headquarters, Louisville, Ky., with social media.
2. Former Blue Shield executive accuses insurer of shortchanging California policyholders
Blue Shield of California's former public policy director filed suit against the insurer, claiming it didn't adequately reimburse policyholders for excessive administrative spending in 2014.
3. Illinois insurance regulator OKs $34 billion Aetna-Humana deal
The Illinois Department of Insurance approved Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna's $34 billion acquisition of Humana.
4. Amid losses, UnitedHealthcare looks to add 120 to Md. office
Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealthcare seeks to hire 120 employees for customer service-related positions at its office in Frederick, Md., by December.
5. Harvard Pilgrim latest to ink outcomes-based deals with Eli Lilly, Novartis
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, the second largest health insurer in New England, reached deals with pharmaceutical giants Novartis and Eli Lilly to pay for certain drugs based on patient outcomes.
6. UnitedHealth limits number of in-network insulin pumps, worries consumers
Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealth Group made a deal with Kalamazoo, Mich.-based medical technology producer Medtronic in May, which effectively decreased the number of in-network portable insulin pumps it offers members from nine to three.
7. Florida Healthy Kids to end one insurance plan
Florida Healthy Kids, a government-sponsored program offering insurance to children ages 5 to 18 who do not qualify for Medicaid, will eliminate its Stars Plus plan Dec. 31.
8. N.D. insurance commissioner fines Sanford Health Plan over ads
A North Dakota Insurance Commissioner fined Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Sanford Health Plan $22,000 for not filing advertisements for its Medicare supplement insurance as required by law and for omitting required information from the ads.
9. Aetna sells Connecticut property for $1.4M
Hartford, Conn.-based insurer Aetna sold some of its property in Manchester, Conn., to a Massachusetts investment firm for $1.4 million.
10. Shuttered Utah health insurer has $33M in unpaid claims
Hospitals have about $33 million in outstanding claims with collapsed Utah insurance co-op Arches Health Plan, and the state department of insurance likely will not pay out on those claims until 2017.
11. BCBS of Michigan to sell services to 20 Blues plans in other states
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan plans to sell management and consulting services to up to 20 smaller Blues plans in other states in a move to restructure the organization.
12. In Minnesota, BCBS to ditch individual health plans
In 2017, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota will stop offering broad-reaching and flexible individual health plans, affecting some 103,000 people.
13. Illinois insurance co-op is latest insurer to sue feds over ACA payments
Land of Lincoln Health is suing the federal government, claiming the U.S. failed to pay the Chicago-based startup insurer approximately $72 million in payments owed under the Affordable Care Act's risk corridor program.
14. Aetna requests judge review Missouri's act to bar Humana merger
Aetna asked a judge in Cole County Circuit Court to review Missouri's preliminary order to ban a $37 billion merger with Humana, which the state determined would impede competition.
15. Judges: Horizon BCBS doesn't have to reveal how it tiered NJ hospitals
A New Jersey appeals court ruled Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield will not have to share how it classified hospitals in its OMNIA Health Plans, which elevates certain hospitals into preferred groups over others.
16. Insurer sues Green Mountain Care Board for rejecting 27.4% premium hike
MVP Health Insurance Co. filed suit against Vermont's Green Mountain Care Board, alleging the board overstepped its power when it denied the insurance company's premium rate increase.
17. Piedmont, UnitedHealthcare deadlocked despite June 30 deadline
If UnitedHealthcare and Atlanta-based Piedmont Healthcare do not reach an agreement by the end of June, some 150,000 patients could find their physicians out of network.