Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Scrutiny On Insurance Mergers Intensifies As 15 State AGs Join Justice Department Probe
About 15 state attorneys general have joined the Justice Department's probe of two big insurance mergers, according to people familiar with the matter, increasing the scrutiny on proposed deals that would reduce the number of nationwide health insurers to three from five. The formation of a large group to scrutinize Aetna Inc's plan to buy Humana Inc and Anthem Inc's bid for Cigna Corp complicate what is already expected to be a tough and lengthy review by federal antitrust enforcers. (Bartz, 1/11)
The three health care insurers providing individual plan coverage to Delawareans under the Affordable Care Act have agreed to pay almost half a million dollars in fines for past violations of state insurance regulations. Insurance department officials say Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware will pay a fine of $383,000 under a recent consent order. Aetna Health Inc. and Aetna Life Insurance Co. have agreed to pay a combined total of $100,000 in fines. (1/12)
