Kraft Heinz recently sued Aetna, claiming that the insurer is not providing all of Kraft Heinz’s medical claims data. More lawsuits of this sort are likely to come, experts warned.

New CVS Health data found that while 42% of respondents are concerned about their mental health, only 12% are seeing a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, psychotherapist or wellbeing therapist. Younger respondents are especially struggling: 60% of those aged 18 to 32 years old are concerned about their mental health.

Oshi Health recently entered a value-based care contract with Aetna. The New York-based startup provides specialized virtual care for patients with digestive disorders, focusing on dietary and behavioral health interventions to reduce the root cause of patients’ symptoms.

Banner|Aetna — the Arizona health plan owned by Banner Health and Aetna — rolled out a new frictionless billing program. It is designed to minimize confusion among members by combining billing information from both the provider and payer.

Among CVS Health’s adult members, there was a 34.1% decrease in suicide attempts in 2022, compared to 2019. However, there was a 32% increase among adolescents, largely due to challenges from Covid-19. In response, CVS Health is expanding its resources with new initiatives that focus on adolescents.

Insurers’ abuse of prior authorization is creating health risks for patients and contributing to higher downstream costs for both beneficiaries and the larger health care system.

Beginning July 1, Aetna now requires prior authorization for all cataract surgeries, across all its members and plans. Here in California and across the country, ophthalmologists are going to great lengths to secure approval from Aetna for cataract surgery, while the backlog caused by prior authorization and delayed elective care during the Covid-19 pandemic only grows.

The lawsuit alleges that an Aetna policy discriminates against LGBTQ people by requiring them to pay thousands in out-of-pocket costs for fertility treatments before becoming eligible for coverage. Though Aetna has agreed to pay the costs incurred by the plaintiffs, the suit aims to strike down the policy as a whole.

The plans, which will be offered by Aetna, are based on Teladoc’s physician care team model, and also includes providers through Aetna’s network and CVS Health services. 

As Amazon starts to roll out its telehealth and pharmacy offerings, most big health systems and insurers don’t yet view it as a threat. But pharmacy benefit managers and vertically integrated payers will be keeping a watchful eye on the company as it starts to encroach on a slice of their business. 

In a lawsuit filed three years ago, Aetna alleged that Mednax had overbilled for medical procedures and services. Now, the insurer is accusing the medical group of destroying evidence pertaining to the suit and has asked a federal court to sanction Mednax.

After completely exiting the ACA exchanges in 2018, CVS plan to re-enter them in 2022. Last year, enrollment through federal exchanges increased, and Aetna CEO Karen Lynch said the markets have stabilized.

Aetna will now cover breast augmentation for trans women, signaling hope for increased access to healthcare for the transgender community. The coverage expansion comes after transgender individuals and groups advocated for the change.

An email hacking incident exposed the information of close to 500,000 Aetna health plan members, the payer reported to HHS last week. The incident occurred when an unauthorized person gained access to an email account of Aetna’s vision benefit services provider.

The technology company is partnering with major insurers, including Aetna and Humana, as well as providers like Ochsner Health to expand access to its platform that connects patients to community-based social services.

The health insurer and Michigan-based physician organization are partnering to expand access to in-network care for around 40,000 individual and group Medicare Advantage plan members. The partnership will go into effect Dec. 1.

Aetna President Karen Lynch will replace current CVS CEO Larry Merlo next spring. Merlo, who has been the company’s CEO for nearly a decade, plans to retire in May.

Access to mental healthcare continues to be a hurdle amid the Covid-19 pandemic, prompting Aetna and telehealth provider Inpathy to expand their existing mental health partnership to include three more states.

The new plan design incorporates some features from Aetna’s parent company. The plan lets members access appointments at HealthHUB and MinuteClinic locations with no copay, and get discounts on health-related items at CVS stores.

The Cleveland Clinic struck a partnership with CVS Health subsidiary Aetna to form a new accountable care organization (ACO). The two companies plan to launch a co-branded insurance plan this fall.

Cigna, Humana and Aetna recently moved to waive costs related to Covid-19 treatment. While all insurers are currently required to cover costs related to testing, a handful have extended benefits beyond that.

Blue Shield of California is waiving out-of-pocket costs for members accessing telehealth services through Teladoc. The change will apply to members of its commercial plans.

The company promoted new leadership with the departure of the heads of its Pharmacy and Caremark divisions. Dr. Alan Lotvin, who spent several years heading up Caremark’s specialty drug efforts, was promoted to president of CVS Caremark.

Cigna’s sharpened focus on healthcare is evidenced by a number of recent moves, including, most notably its $54 billion acquisition of pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts last year. 

The so-called Destination: Health network will launch later this year with Aetna Medicaid members in Louisville, Kentucky and Aetna dual-eligible special needs plan members in Tampa, Florida and Southeastern Louisiana.

The retail pharmacy chain has expanded its direct-to-consumer telemedicine offerings and charted out where it plans to open new HealthHUB locations next year.

The expansion builds on an initial pilot that opened up three HealthHUB locations in Houston earlier this year. HealthHUBs will open around 50 additional locations in Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, southern New Jersey and Tampa later this year. 

If Cardiogram’s technology highlights a potential issue of atrial fibrillation or diabetes, patients will be given free access to what the company calls a “gold standard” diagnostic test to confirm the results. 

Through the collaboration, members of the health plan, which is owned by Banner Health and insurer Aetna, will have access to 98point6’s on-demand, text-based primary care offering.

The Medicare Advantage startup positioned the layoffs as a way to focus more on developing specific expertise in Medicare Advantage and healthcare.