Revenue Cycle and Payer News 7-2-2019

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Posted By: Annmarie Budniak July 2, 2019

In the News:

AHIP Comments on Lower Health Care Costs Act
Matt Eyles, president and CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), issued a statement as the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) prepares for a markup of the Lower Health Care Costs Act.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Statement on the Executive Order on Price Transparency
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (@BCBSAssociation) Senior Vice President, Office of Policy and Representation, Justine Handelman issued a statement regarding the executive order on price transparency.

Medicare Advantage Plans Offer New Benefits in 2019
Under a new rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage (MA) plans can now take a more comprehensive approach to health by providing innovative benefits that directly focus on a member’s health care needs. MA plans now cover and target additional supplemental health-related benefits such as adult day care, caregiver support services, in-home support services, and more.

Introducing Oscar’s New Headquarters
After almost seven years at the Puck Building in New York’s Soho, Oscar (@oscarhealth) has officially outgrown its original headquarters. The new space will support the fast growth of our employee base, especially on our technology team, which builds the tools and resources that help our members navigate the health care system.

Health Insurance Providers Launch Project Link to Address Social Barriers to Health
Not every health care problem can – or should – be addressed with a prescription pad. That’s why America’s Health Insurance Plans (@AHIPCoverage) is launching Project Link – a new initiative that brings together the best thinking on how to effectively address social barriers to health and long-term well-being.

 

Financial News:

Anthem, Inc. to Acquire Beacon Health Options
Anthem, Inc. (@AnthemInc) announced that the company has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Beacon Health Options (Beacon), the largest independently held behavioral health organization in the country. Beacon currently serves more than 36 million individuals across all 50 states, including nearly 3 million individuals under comprehensive risk-based behavioral programs. The acquisition aligns with Anthem’s strategy to diversify into health services and deliver market-leading integrated solutions and care delivery models that personalize care for people with complex and chronic conditions.

Centene and WellCare Stockholders Approve Proposals Regarding Centene’s Pending Acquisition of WellCare
Centene Corporation (@Centene) and WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (@wellcare_health) announced that the stockholders of both companies approved all proposals regarding Centene’s pending acquisition of WellCare pursuant to the definitive merger agreement between the parties.

Contract News:

Leading Independent Provider Association Nivano Physicians, Inc. Announces Medicare Contract with Anthem BlueCross
One of Northern California’s Independent Physician Associations (IPA), Nivano Physicians, Inc., announced the signing of a Medicare contract with Anthem BlueCross. Effective July 1, 2019, Sacramento County Medicare enrollees under the Anthem BlueCross managed care plan will have the option of selecting Nivano Physicians as their IPA with a coverage effective date of August 1, 2019.

Product News:

Launch of UnitedHealthcare Hearing Offers People Improved Access to Affordable, Quality Hearing Health Care
UnitedHealthcare (@uhc) has launched UnitedHealthcare Hearing, offering all consumers, including people enrolled in the company’s individual, employer-sponsored and Medicare Advantage plans, greater access to affordable, quality hearing health.

New Appointments:

Turn-Key Health Broadens Expertise in Healthcare Payer, Provider & Insurance Sectors, Appoints Michael Moore as Chief Growth Officer
Turn-Key Health an Enclara Healthcare company, serving health plans, provider organizations and their members who experience a serious or advanced illness, announced the appointment of Michael Moore, as Chief Growth Officer. The appointment is a clear statement of Turn-Key’s focus to hire the industry’s best leaders with exceptional reputations for delivering value to payers seeking improved care outcomes and enhanced quality of life for their members.

UnitedHealth Group Advances Senior Leadership Team
UnitedHealth Group (@UnitedHealthGrp) announced changes to its senior executive team as part of its longstanding approach to building broad and deeply experienced leaders.

Collaboration News:

Humana and Epic to Enhance Patient, Provider and Payer Collaboration
Humana Inc. (@humana), a health and well-being company, and Epic, a widely-used comprehensive health record system, announced an agreement that will integrate technologies to enhance patient, provider and payer access to health information. Humana is the first national healthcare insurer to collaborate with Epic to bring together patients, providers, and payers to power value-based care.

Making the Cut:

CareSource’s Erhardt Preitauer Named a Glassdoor Top CEO
Glassdoor announced its 2019 Employees’ Choice Awards for the highest-rated CEOs today and CareSource CEO Erhardt Preitauer ranks #20 on the list. Preitauer joins household names like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg who previously appeared on Glassdoor’s list of companies with 1,000 or more employees.

Oscar Health’s CEO Named a Glassdoor Top CEO

Glassdoor lists Oscar Health’s CEO, Mario Schlosser, among the five top CEOs at small and medium companies in 2019 in the U.S.

Cigna Ranked First in the Health Care Industry for Supporting Healthy Communities and Families
Global health service company Cigna (@cigna) ranked first in the health care industry and ranked second on a new list of Top 100 U.S. Companies Supporting Healthy Communities and Families. The list, compiled by JUST Capital with support from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, recognizes leading organizations that prioritize community health through supportive and sustainable business practices to improve the lives of employees, customers and neighbors.

In State News:

Pennsylvania Poised to Take Over Health Insurance Exchange
Pennsylvania is poised to roll out its own online health insurance exchange to take the place of the one run by the federal government for the state’s residents since 2014, saying it can save money for hundreds of thousands of policy-buyers.

Partners pulls out of talks for Rhode Island health system
According to the Boston Globe, Partners HealthCare recently halted its two-year effort to acquire Care New England Health System, Rhode Island’s second-largest hospital operator, after Governor Gina Raimondo called on local hospitals to come up with a solution for health care in the state. With Raimondo’s urging, Care New England, Lifespan, and Brown University said they would begin negotiations to create a Rhode Island-based academic health care system.

Montana Insurers Propose Lower Individual Premiums
Montanans who buy individual health care plans through the federal government’s Healthcare.gov marketplace will pay less for it next year, at least partially due to a new state law.

 

Upcoming Events

National Conferences on Medicare, Medicaid, and Dual Eligibles
When: September 23 – 26, 2019
Save when you register by July 29, 2019.
Where: Washington, D.C.
Twitter: @ahipcoverage

National Conferences on Medicare, Medicaid, and Dual Eligibles – Health care remains at the top of the to-do list for the administration, lawmakers, and health care professionals. Yet as the intensity of debate surrounding health care intensifies, one thing remains the same: changes to health care impact people in very real and personal ways. This fall, join health care experts, government officials, academics, health insurance providers, and industry thought leaders as we discuss strategies to make the Medicare and Medicaid programs better for the people they serve while making them affordable and fiscally sustainable.