Revenue Cycle and Payer News 12-18-2019

TOPICS:

Posted By: Annmarie Budniak December 18, 2019

To Read:

Survey Finds Most Consumers are Satisfied with Their Health Insurance but Will Increasingly Pressure Health Plans to Transform
HealthEdge (@healthedge), provider of an integrated financial, administrative and clinical platform for health insurers, announced the results of its latest Voice of the Market Survey, a study of more than 5,000 health insurance consumers to gauge their satisfaction with their current health plans.

Do You Trust Jeff Bezos With Your Life? Tech Giants Like Amazon Are Getting into the Health Care Business
Do you trust Amazon with your life? According to a recent Newsweek article, you might have to, because the big tech companies of Silicon Valley are looking to do for medicine what they’ve already done for retail, publishing, finance and other sectors of modern life: they want to bring on another digital revolution.

In the News:

UnitedHealthcare to Open Member Medicare Services Centers in Select Walgreens Stores
UnitedHealthcare (@uhc), the health benefits business of UnitedHealth Group, and Walgreens will open 14 UnitedHealthcare Medicare services centers within Walgreens stores in five metropolitan areas as part of a multi-year agreement.

CVS Health Announces Successful First Year of Aetna Integration at One Year Anniversary
CVS Health Corporation (@cvshealth) announced it has successfully completed the first year of combined operations following the acquisition of Aetna in late 2018. The combined company has met or exceeded its first-year integration goals while introducing new, consumer-focused offerings as a result of its unmatched capabilities. CVS Health remains on track to meet its most recent 2019 net synergy guidance and remains confident in its net synergy targets for 2020 and 2021.

Collaboration News:

Cigna, MDLIVE Make Behavioral Health Virtual Visits Simpler and More Convenient
With mental health issues on the rise in America, Cigna (@cigna) is making it simpler and more convenient for its customers to seek care for conditions like anxiety, stress, and depression. Beginning in January 2020, Cigna’s 14 million customers enrolled in employer-sponsored plans can schedule appointments online to see behavioral health counselors or psychiatrists when they want and where they want, securely, by video or phone through its collaboration with MDLIVE. This new service is in addition to Cigna’s Behavioral Health network of more than 18,000 virtual behavioral health providers.

Oscar and Capsule Partner to Increase Access to Affordable Drugs in New York
New York Oscar (@oscarhealth) and Capsule are excited to announce a new partnership that will bring Capsule’s effortless, same-day delivery pharmacy benefits to all Oscar members in New York. Starting on January 1, 2020, all Oscar members can choose Capsule as their primary pharmacy. Members will be able to easily opt-in for Capsule benefits through the Oscar app, transfer existing prescriptions, and receive medications same-day, for free.

Financial News:

Centene and CVS Health Announce Agreement for CVS Health to Acquire IlliniCare Health
Centene Corporation (@Centene) and CVS Health announced that, in connection with the previously announced merger agreement between Centene and WellCare Health Plans, Inc., Centene has entered into a definitive agreement under which CVS Health will acquire Centene’s Illinois health plan subsidiary, IlliniCare Health Plan, Inc. The transaction entails the sale of Centene’s Medicaid and Medicare Advantage lines of business in Illinois.

Humana to Acquire Enclara Healthcare
Humana Inc. (@humana) announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Enclara Healthcare (Enclara), one of the nation’s largest hospice pharmacy and benefit management providers, from Consonance Capital Partners and Enclara management. Enclara is a leading pharmacy solutions provider focused on simplifying care delivery in complex care populations to improve patient experience, quality and cost.

New York Life to Acquire Cigna’s Group Life and Disability Insurance Business
New York Life, America’s largest mutual life insurer, and Cigna, a global health service company, announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement whereby New York Life will acquire Cigna’s group life and disability insurance business for $6.3 billion. The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of 2020, subject to applicable regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

Appointments:

BCBSA Board of Directors Elects Highmark Health President and Chief Executive Officer David L. Holmberg as Chairman
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (@BCBSAssociation) announced that David L. Holmberg, president and chief executive officer of Highmark Health, has been elected chairman of the BCBSA Board of Directors. BCBSA is the national federation of 36 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies that together cover one in three Americans.

Making the Cut:

Cigna Recognized for Being a Supportive Employer for Veterans and Military Spouses
Cigna’s commitment to the military and veteran community was recognized on the 2020 Military Friendly® Silver Employer and Military Friendly® Spouse Employer lists by VIQTORY, a service-disabled, veteran-owned organization that connects military service members, veterans and military spouses with professional employment opportunities.

Upcoming Events

HCAA’s Executive Forum 2020
When: February 24 – 26, 2020
Where: Wynn, Las Vegas
Twitter: @HCAAinfo
Hashtag: #HCAAExecForum

HCAA’s Executive Forum 2020 – HCAA’s Executive Forum is held every February. This annual conference for the self-funding industry, held in Las Vegas, offers a program covering strategic ideas focused toward third party and benefit administrator executive leadership. The conference, attended each year by over 400 industry leaders, provides critical points of view, often disruptive, which are meant to challenge and to provoke thought, while providing education for all attendees.