News Briefs: Elevance, BCBS of Louisiana Deal is Back On

After merger talks fizzled in September, Elevance Health, Inc.’s agreement to acquire Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is back on, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune. The companies had put the $2.5 billion deal on hold due to rising opposition, but the Times-Picayune reported the companies filed a new application on Dec. 14 with the Louisiana Dept. of Insurance. The structure of the deal is largely unchanged, although the companies agreed to expand the board of directors for the Accelerate Louisiana Initiative, a nonprofit foundation. The companies expect the transaction will close during the first quarter of 2024. 

More than 19 million people have signed up for coverage via Affordable Care Act exchange plans for next year, according to the most recent data from CMS. The enrollment figures are as of Dec. 15 for the 32 states that use the HealthCare.gov website and through Dec. 9 for the 18 states and Washington. D.C., that have state-based marketplaces. More than 15.3 million had signed up for plans in states using the HealthCare.gov platform, a 33% increase from last year. In addition, more than 745,000 people signed up on Dec. 15, the largest single-day record since HealthCare.gov launched on Oct. 1, 2013.