US government encourages insurance companies to advance pay health care providers

Insurance companies - American flag - person offering payment

After a massive cyberattack, the government hopes insurers will make advance payments. The US government has called for insurance companies to choose to voluntarily send advance payments to health care providers who were affected by a massive cyberattack. The attack caused a disruption to the processing systems with insurers. According to the US government, the cyberattack had a “significant impact” and it is hoping that insurance companies will choose to send advance payments to health care providers in light of what happened.  The attack impacted Change Healthcare, a UnitedHealth Group…

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Cigna insurance company ends its Humana acquisition intentions

Insurance Company - Acquisition Cancelled

The insurer is now developing a $10 billion share buyback plan after a failure to agree on a price. Health insurance company Cigna has ceased its pursuit of a negotiation for acquisition of its rival insurer Humana. The company left its efforts when the two insurers were unable to agree on price. Cigna announced that it is working on plans for buying back $10 billion worth of shares. The health insurance company resulting from an acquisition of Humana by Cigna would have resulted in an insurer with an estimated value…

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Humana and UnitedHealth launch insurance company blockchain pilot

InsuranceBee and Hiscox launch insurance agent partner program

The massive American insurers have announced their test to improve healthcare data quality. Two of the largest insurers in the United States have come together to launch an insurance company blockchain pilot. The purpose is to be able to improve the quality of healthcare data. This technology could provide a considerable opportunity for data analytics for health insurers. Humana and UnitedHealth Group are traditionally competitors in the health insurance industry. However, they are working together in this insurance company blockchain pilot program. They are partnered with Quest Diagnostics and MultiPlan…

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Massive health insurance mergers may undergo greater scrutiny in California

California health insurance

Consumer advocates are trying to convince regulators in that state and several others to scrutinize these deals. California is rapidly turning into the center of the controversy over the massive mergers that are going on in the health insurance industry as one company swallows up the next, shrinking the competition. Consumer advocates have been asking for greater scrutiny of this trend on over a dozen states across the U.S. In California and about twelve other key states, consumer advocates have been asking regulators to take a closer look at the…

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Health insurance market in Texas may not be competitive

Texas Health Insurance Program

Study highlights lack of competition within the Texas insurance market The American Medical Association has released a new study that suggests the insurance market in Texas is becoming less competitive. According to the study, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas is the dominant insurance provider in all but one of the state’s metropolitan areas. UnitedHealth Group is also a major player in the health insurance market. Together, these two companies account for 63% of the state’s commercial health insurance market, up from 57% in 2010. Blue Cross dominates many of…

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