Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Justice Department Urges Appeals Court To Uphold Anthem-Cigna Ruling
The U.S. Justice Department and several states on Monday urged a federal appeals court not to overturn a decision blocking Anthem and Cigna's proposed $54 billion merger. In a brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the Trump administration Justice Department said there was 鈥渙verwhelming evidence鈥 showing the blocked merger would never create any of the proposed efficiencies that Anthem touted. (Teichert, 3/13)
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is likely to notify state regulators this summer that it will withdraw from Connecticut鈥檚 individual market next year 鈥 even though the company has not yet decided聽whether to sell plans in 2018, the company鈥檚 president told the head of the state鈥檚 health insurance exchange. Companies seeking to withdraw from the market must notify the state six months in advance 鈥 a deadline that falls before the likely resolution of 鈥渦ncertainties鈥 affecting whether Anthem could sell coverage through the individual market, Anthem President Jill R. Hummel wrote. (Levin Becker, 3/12)