Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Insurers Found To Have Been Selling Illegal Health Plans In New Hampshire
The Associated Press: Companies Ordered To Stop Selling Illegal Health Coverage In N.H.
About 1,400 New Hampshire residents will have to find new health insurance plans after state regulators said they had been sold illegal policies. The state insurance commissioner on Wednesday ordered Aliera Healthcare and Trinity Healthcare to stop selling or renewing insurance in New Hampshire. Officials say Aliera has been marketing and administering health coverage on behalf of Trinity, which calls itself a healthcare sharing ministry. (10/31)
New Hampshire Public Radio: Former N.H. Insurance Commissioner Defends Company Ordered To Stop Selling Insurance
Roger Sevigny, who was commissioner of the state Insurance Department for 15 years before retiring in the summer of 2018, is defending his role as a member of the board of Aliera Healthcare, which was ordered Wednesday to stop selling illegal insurance policies in New Hampshire. Sevigny joined Aliera's board in September. At that time, the company was already facing scrutiny in New Hampshire from Sevigny’s successor, as well as cease and desist orders in multiple states for questionable business practices. (Bookman, 10/31)
In other health industry news —
Modern Healthcare: Major Blues Insurer Sued For Denying Behavioral Health Claims
The company that runs Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in five states is unlawfully denying behavioral health benefits to members in violation of generally accepted medical standards, according to a federal lawsuit seeking class action status. The complaint filed Thursday accuses Chicago-based Health Care Service Corporation of denying coverage last year to a young Chicago-area woman suffering from depression, substance use disorder, and borderline personality based on faulty guidelines issued by MCG Health in Seattle. (Meyer, 10/31)
Reuters: Health Insurer Cigna Quarterly Profit Soars 75%
Cigna Corp reported a 75% rise in quarterly profit on Thursday, benefiting from its acquisition of Express Scripts pharmacy benefits business last year. The health insurer, which in December closed its $52 billion acquisition of pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts, said shareholders' net income rose to $1.35 billion, or $3.57 per share, in the third quarter ended Sept. 30, from $772 million, or $3.14 per share, a year earlier. (10/31)
