Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
APA Says Insurance Mergers Would Undermine Access To Mental Health Care
The American Psychiatric Association warned U.S. antitrust regulators this month that two proposed health insurance deals could worsen access to mental health care services, adding to public opposition from several prominent doctors groups. Anthem Inc would become the largest U.S. health insurer through a proposed $47 billion acquisition of Cigna Corp, announced in late July. Earlier that month, Aetna Inc said it would buy Humana Inc and become the largest provider of Medicare plans for older people. (Humer, 9/24)
In other industry news -
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association on Thursday unveiled an expanded database that will help individual Blues, like Philadelphia's Independence, drill down into the cost of care for their corporate customers who have operations nationwide. he Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, whose members cover 105 million Americans, has maintained a claims database for a decade, and Independence has contributed for years. But now all 36 Blue Cross companies are required to share claims data, which are converted into 1,600 common treatments and elective procedures - up from 300 previously. (Brubaker, 9/25)
