Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Independence Blue Cross Plans To Buck The Insurer Merger Trend
The tsunami of mergers announced last month - Aetna's purchase of Humana and Anthem's purchase of Cigna - is expected to transform the health insurance industry, if the deals survive antitrust scrutiny by regulators. The consolidation will create three national giants, including UnitedHealth Group Inc., each with more than $100 billion in annual revenue, and add to the pressure on smaller Blue Cross-Blue Shield operators to merge. But don't count Independence Blue Cross, the region's largest health insurer and a major Center City employer, among those on the ropes. (Brubaker, 8/23)
The big worries on growth hanging over the pharmaceuticals industry are poles apart. Pressure on U.S. drug pricing is casting a shadow over the sector鈥檚 most lucrative market. But slowing emerging-market growth, notably in China, shouldn鈥檛 be ignored. (Thomas, 8/23)
GlaxoSmithKline PLC is selling its remaining rights to a drug for use in treating autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis, to Novartis AG for up to $1 billion, plus royalties. (Walker and Roland, 8/21)
