1. 24,000 Highmark employees left out of UPMC deal
About 24,000 Highmark employees were not part of an agreement reached with UPMC to provide in-network access to UPMC physicians and hospitals.
2. Tufts Health Plan to pay members to find cost-effective providers
Tufts Health Plan launched a program that will pay some of its 1.2 million members to find providers with the lowest cost and highest quality.
3. Aetna expands home care network: 4 things to know
Aetna expanded its home care network through a partnership with CareLinx, a national network with more than 300,000 nonclinical caregivers.
4. BCBS of Minnesota buys joint ownership of hospital’s 20 clinics
Minneapolis-based North Memorial Health and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota signed a joint venture agreement to become shared owners of North Memorial’s clinics.
5. Anthem exec: Beacon deal further integrates physical, behavioral care
Anthem’s definitive agreement to acquire Boston-based Beacon Health Options aligns with the importance of behavioral healthcare and provides opportunities to improve patient care.
6. Tenet, Aetna sign multiyear agreement
Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare entered into a new multiyear agreement with CVS Health-owned Aetna, the companies said June 24.
7. FTC gives conditional OK of UnitedHealth’s $4.3B acquisition of DaVita physicians group
The Federal Trade Commission approved UnitedHealth Group’s $4.3 billion acquisition of Davita Medical Group, with the condition that UnitedHealth sell one of its newly purchased medical groups in Nevada.
8. Kettering Health, Cigna reach new contract
Dayton, Ohio-based Kettering Health Network and Cigna inked a new contract ahead of a June 14 deadline.
9. UnitedHealth fights retroactive claim review in mental health coverage case
UnitedHealth Group is fighting a request to retroactively review claim denials for mental health treatment in an ongoing legal case.
10. Kaiser partially blames hospitals for exit in 2 Colorado counties
Kaiser Permanente Colorado, a health insurer and provider, is leaving two of the state’s counties due in part to its inability to strike contracts with hospitals.
11. Ascension Providence to end contract with Scott & White Health Plan
Ascension Providence in Waco, Texas, will break ties with Scott & White Health Plan effective Sept. 1, according to a notice.
