March 29, 2024 - The Biden administration has reduced the timeframe of short-term limited duration insurance plans, also known as “STLDI” or “junk” plans, in an effort to curb underinsurance, CMS announced. “HHS is cracking down on junk insurance plans to help consumers make informed choices and avoid mistakenly paying for a plan that...

March 20, 2024 - Officials from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) met with 15 health insurance companies, including major payers and organizations like UnitedHealth Group, Elevance Health, and AHIP, to discuss payers’ Change Healthcare cyberattack response, HHS reported. During the meeting, HHs reviewed the results of a payer survey...

February 28, 2024 - The Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating antitrust allegations against UnitedHealth Group, with a specific focus on the ties between UnitedHealthcare and Optum, according to a Wall Street Journal article that broke the story. Optum’s physician group acquisitions are at the center of DOJ’s inquiries as well as how the...

February 2, 2024 - HCSC, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, intends to seal the acquisition of Cigna’s Medicare businesses for $3.3 billion, the payer announced. The purchase includes the major payer’s Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare Supplemental Benefits plans, Medicare Part D plans, and CareAllies—which is a...