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A federal appeals panel appeared skeptical Monday of the constitutionality of an Affordable Care Act (ACA) provision requiring insurers to cover specific preventive services. Judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans questioned whether the members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) have the legal power to make recommendations, since its members are not appointed by the president or confirmed by the Senate. (Weixel, 3/4)

A Christian business group and its members do not have to offer health insurance coverage to employees for gender transition treatments, a North Dakota federal judge ruled Monday. U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor in Bismarck ruled that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) cannot make the Christian Employers Alliance (CEA) comply with rules requiring that coverage. (Pierson, 3/4)

Lifespan Corp., the state’s largest healthcare system, may no longer accept Cigna Healthcare insurance after April 1 as ongoing contract negotiations between the two companies have stalled. Rhode Islanders who pay for Cigna’s commercial plans received letters from Cigna saying that the insurance company has been working to renew its contract with Lifespan over the past few months. ... “Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we haven’t reached an agreement yet.” (Gagosz, 3/4)

Elevance Health will receive higher Medicare Advantage star ratings for 2024 after federal regulators agreed to take another look at the company's scores. Elevance, which manages Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in 14 states, will receive an additional $190 million after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services agreed to revise four of its contract scores, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Monday. (Tepper, 3/4)