WASHINGTON — In its court battle to block the merger of Anthem and Cigna, the U.S. Justice Department plans to use Connecticut’s market as a prime example of why increased consolidation in the health insurance field would hurt consumers. “It was clear to us… that if Connecticut had not decided to participate in the lawsuit, (the state) would have been a focal point of the case anyhow,” said Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen, who has joined the DOJ lawsuit.
Cigna
Posted inHealth, Politics
AMA says Anthem-Cigna deal would shrink insurer choices in CT
WASHINGTON — The American Medical Association, strongly opposed to the merger of Anthem and Cigna, said the deal would greatly limit competition in Connecticut and nine other states, leading to premium increases and fewer choices of doctors and hospitals for the state’s patients.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Call it corporate welfare or investment, Malloy says it pays off
NEW HAVEN — Gov. Dannel P. Malloy gave an upbeat assessment Tuesday of what Connecticut is getting for the $256.6 million in direct state assistance he’s given to some of the world’s biggest and richest corporations, investments often made in the face of genteel blackmail — the knowledge another governor may be waiting with a competing offer.
Posted inHealth, Politics
As some quit exchanges, insurers press for changes in ACA
WASHINGTON — Aetna’s decision to abandon 11 state Affordable Care Act marketplaces combined with the shrinking participation of other insurers has prompted Washington advocates to look for new ways to strengthen state marketplaces like Connecticut’s Access Health CT. Republicans, meanwhile, have renewed their calls for the ACA’s repeal.
Posted inHealth
Aetna said it would pull back from exchanges if merger wasn’t approved
WASHINGTON — Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini told the Justice Department the insurer would have to pull back from the Affordable Care Act’s state insurance exchanges if a proposed merger deal with Humana was not approved, provoking strong reaction on Capitol Hill.
Posted inHealth, Justice
Aetna offers divestitures, Cigna looking at its options
WASHINGTON — Aetna and Humana said Tuesday they have an agreement to sell Medicare Advantage business covering 290,000 people to rival insurer Molina if their planned merger is allowed to be completed. Aetna also said it is halting 2017 plans to expand participation on public exchanges and is reviewing all of its current participation on Affordable Care Act exchanges.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Justice Dept. sues to block Aetna-Humana, Anthem-Cigna mergers
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department filed lawsuits Thursday to block both proposed mergers between Aetna and Humana and Anthem and Cigna. The insurers said they would fight the suits.
Posted inHealth
Murphy urges Aetna, Cigna to stay, doesn’t oppose mergers
With decisions from the Justice Department pending on two potential mergers involving Aetna and Cigna, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., sent a pair of letters Monday urging both companies to maintain a “strong presence” in Connecticut regardless of the outcome. He did not oppose the mergers.
Posted inNews
Jepsen concerned about Anthem-Cigna deal, may move to block it
WASHINGTON — Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen said he is concerned an Anthem-Cigna merger would result in decreased competition and higher premiums and will make a decision in as soon as two weeks whether to try to block it in court.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Anthem-Cigna controversy exposes gaps in ethics rules
Insurance Commissioner Katharine L. Wade’s controversial refusal to recuse herself from ruling on the Anthem-Cigna insurance merger has provoked a reappraisal of ethics regulators, who heavily rely on the self-reporting of public officials, and an ethics code that may be clearer to lawyers than lovers of English.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Comptroller says Wade should recuse herself on Cigna merger
Comptroller Kevin P. Lembo publicly urged Insurance Commissioner Katharine L. Wade on Thursday to recuse herself from Connecticut’s review of the Anthem-Cigna merger, saying even a positive legal ruling from ethics officials would not overcome the appearance of a conflict of interest.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Blumenthal asks DOJ to stop Aetna-Humana, Anthem-Cigna mergers
WASHINGTON – Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and six other Democrats on the Judiciary Committee asked the Justice Department on Wednesday to block two proposed mergers involving Connecticut health insurers, Aetna-Humana and Anthem-Cigna.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Aetna-Humana, Anthem-Cigna facing different merger obstacles
WASHINGTON – So far, Aetna appears to be clearing the regulatory and antitrust hurdles it faces to merge with Humana more easily, while Anthem’s proposed marriage to Cigna has faced more troubles. Neither has yet cleared the hurdle of antitrust approval from the U.S. Justice Department.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Ethics panel to rule if Wade has conflict in Anthem-Cigna merger
Insurance Commissioner Katharine L. Wade’s first contact with state ethics officials was to inform them in September why she intended to act on the merger of Anthem and Cigna, not to seek a ruling on whether they saw a potential conflict due to her family’s long association with Cigna. Now, while she’s deep in the review of a merger that could transform the health insurance industry, Wade is going to get the legally binding ethics opinion that she and the administration of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy never saw the need to request.
Posted inNews
CT ethics board to consider Common Cause petition seeking Wade investigation
Connecticut ethics officials will consider a petition filed by Common Cause late Monday that asks them to rule on whether Connecticut Insurance Commissioner Katharine L. Wade’s ties to her former employer, Cigna, require her to recuse herself from reviewing a proposed merger of Cigna and Anthem. The Citizen’s Ethics Advisory Board will vote Thursday on whether a review will be done.