News Briefs

Feb 04
Feb 04, 2021

✦ Anthem, Inc. stands to acquire more than 267,000 Medicare Advantage members and over 305,000 Medicaid members in Puerto Rico through the planned purchase of MMM Healthcare, LLC from InnovaCare Health. The deal, unveiled Feb. 2, will expand Anthem’s presence in the duals market. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The acquisition is expected to close by the second quarter of 2021, subject to regulatory approvals and other closing conditions. Visit https://bit.ly/2LgUfzL.

✦ A bipartisan bill reintroduced in the Senate seeks to require CMS to consider diagnoses from audio-only telehealth visits for risk adjustment payments to Medicare Advantage plans. Trade associations America’s Physician Groups and America’s Health Insurance Plans applauded the bill, which would improve MA enrollees’ access to telehealth and ensure that such visits are reimbursed as if they were in-person visits during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The bill is sponsored by Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and was first introduced in July 2020. Visit https://bit.ly/2Ms8gej.
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Lauren Flynn Kelly

Lauren has been covering health business issues since the early 2000s and specializes in in-depth reporting on Medicare Advantage, managed Medicaid and Medicare Part D. She also possesses a deep understanding of the complex world of pharmacy benefit management, having written AIS Health’s Radar on Drug Benefits from 2004 to 2005 and again from 2011 to 2016. In addition to her role as managing editor of Radar on Medicare Advantage, she oversees AIS Health’s publications and manages the health editorial staff. She graduated from Vassar College with a B.A. in English.