Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Doctors, Consumer Groups Urge Antitrust Regulators To Block Insurer Mergers
Reuters: Consumer Coalition Forms To Fight U.S. Health Insurance Mergers
Two U.S. consumer groups announced the formation of a coalition with New York labor unions on Thursday to press antitrust regulators to oppose big insurance mergers that would cut the number of nationwide for-profit health insurers from five to three. The Coalition to Preserve Patient Choice, made up of the Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Action and others, was formed because of concern about Anthem Inc's purchase of Cigna Corp for $47 billion and Aetna Inc's decision to buy Humana Inc for $37 billion, the group said in a statement. (11/12)
The Connecticut Mirror: AMA Asks Justice Department To Block Aetna-Humana, Anthem-Cigna Mergers
Saying it would end competition in key markets and erode patient care, the American Medical Association has asked the Justice Department to quash the proposed mergers between insurance giants Aetna and Humana and Anthem and Cigna. (Radelat, 11/12)
