Editorial Results (free)
1.
Growing prescriptions help push CVS past Q2 expectations -
Friday, July 29, 2022
CVS Health thumped second-quarter expectations and hiked its full-year forecast as growing prescription claims and COVID-19 test kits sales countered a drop in vaccinations.
A longer cough, cold and flu season also brought in more business, and claims in CVS Health's biggest segment, pharmacy benefits management, rose about 4%. Pharmacy sales at the company's established drugstores also climbed more than 7%.
2.
After another strong quarter, CVS raises outlook for 2022 -
Friday, April 29, 2022
COVID-19 vaccines and tests for the virus continue to boost CVS Health and the health care giant raised its annual forecast after yet another strong quarter.
The drugstore chain and pharmacy benefit manager also processed more prescriptions and added customers to its health insurance business in a better-than-expected performance.
3.
Walmart to end cigarette sales in some stores -
Friday, March 25, 2022
NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart will no longer sell cigarettes in some of its stores though tobacco sales can be a significant revenue generator.
Wall Street Journal was the first to report the development Monday. It noted some stores in California, Florida, Arkansas and New Mexico were on the list, citing anonymous sources and store visits.
4.
3 million plaintiffs seek $1.2B from California health firm -
Friday, February 11, 2022
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A lawsuit over high health care bills filed on behalf of more than 3 million employers and people seeks as much as $1.2 billion from a large Northern California health systems in an antitrust class-action trial getting underway Thursday.
5.
COVID-19 vaccines, prescriptions fuel strong quarter at CVS -
Friday, February 4, 2022
COVID-19 vaccines and the return of customers to stores helped push CVS Health well past fourth-quarter earnings expectations.
But the pandemic's unpredictability is making the drugstore chain and pharmacy benefit manager cautious. It did not raise a 2022 forecast it laid out in December, and its shares slid on Wednesday.
6.
Report: Corporate climate pledges are weaker than they seem -
Friday, February 4, 2022
NEW YORK (AP) — Many of the world's largest companies are failing to take significant enough steps to meet their pledges to vastly reduce the impact of their greenhouse gas emissions in the decades ahead.
7.
CVS Health to close hundreds of drugstores over next 3 years -
Friday, November 19, 2021
CVS Health will close hundreds of drugstores over the next three years, as the health care giant adjusts to changing customer needs and converts to new store formats.
The company said Thursday that it will close about 300 stores a year for the next three years, nearly a tenth of its roughly 10,000 retail locations as it reduces store count density in some places.
8.
Insurance telemarketers fined $225M for a billion robocalls -
Friday, June 5, 2020
The U.S. communications regulator on Tuesday proposed a $225 million fine, its largest ever, against two health insurance telemarketers for spamming people with 1 billion robocalls using fake phone numbers.
9.
Yarbrough honored by Nashville Bar Association -
Friday, April 24, 2020
Edward M. Yarbrough, a member and attorney at Bone McAllester Norton, has been awarded the Nashville Bar Foundation’s David Rutherford Award for 2020.
The award is given to a fellow who exemplifies the memory and ideals of David Rutherford, which include professionalism, charitable contributions in the legal field and in the community, and the spirit of collegiality among bench and bar.
10.
Stocks recover after economic worries set off an early skid -
Friday, August 2, 2019
U.S. stocks turned higher Wednesday afternoon as investors shook off early jitters that had briefly pulled the Dow Jones Industrial Average down more than 580 points.
Technology and consumer staples stocks powered much of the gains, offsetting losses in banks, energy and elsewhere.
11.
At stores and online, health care moves closer to customers -
Friday, May 31, 2019
Health care is moving closer to patients.
Drugstores are expanding the care and support they offer, and telemedicine is bringing doctors and therapists to the family room couch as the system shifts to help people stay healthy and attract customers who want convenience.
12.
CVS announces further expansion into health care services -
Friday, May 31, 2019
CVS Health is pushing deeper into health services with plans to add dietitians, medical equipment and space for the occasional yoga class to 1,500 stores over the next few years.
The drugstore chain that quit selling tobacco several years ago said Tuesday it will expand a store model it recently tested. Its HealthHub stores will have about twice as much space devoted to health care as other locations and will aim to help people with chronic conditions like diabetes.
13.
CVS moves into dental care with teeth-straightening service -
Friday, April 26, 2019
CVS Health is venturing into dental care with plans to offer a relatively new teeth-straightening service.
The drugstore chain said Thursday that it will add SmileDirectClub locations to hundreds of its stores, where customers can get started on getting their teeth straightened without an in-person visit with a dentist or orthodontist. That lack of an office visit has drawn criticism from orthodontists.
14.
CVS spreads same-day prescription deliveries to 36 states -
Friday, April 5, 2019
CVS Health is expanding same-day prescription deliveries nationwide in the latest push by drugstores to keep customers who don't want to wait and are doing more shopping online.
The drugstore chain says it can deliver medications and other products within a few hours to homes or offices from 6,000 locations. The company started this service, which comes with a fee, in late 2017 in New York and expanded it to several cities last year.
15.
Can your employer really cure your money woes? -
Friday, March 15, 2019
Millions of Americans get their health insurance and retirement accounts through their employers. Now some are getting help with their debt.
Companies including insurer Aetna and accounting firm PwC help employees pay down student loans. Others partner with startups to offer debt solutions as an employee benefit. Among the approaches:
16.
US stocks cap day of listless trading with modest gains -
Friday, February 15, 2019
Wall Street capped another day of listless trading Wednesday with a slight gain, extending the market's winning streak to a third day.
Financial, materials and industrial companies accounted for much of the gain, outweighing losses in health care and real estate stocks as investors reviewed the latest batch of company earnings reports.
17.
Trouble at CVS Health long-term care business weighs heavily -
Friday, February 15, 2019
CVS Health is setting 2019 earnings expectations well below Wall Street forecasts, as the company struggles to fix part of its business while blending in a major acquisition and attempting to change how customers use its stores.
18.
Group backing private Medicare is funded by insurance giants -
Friday, December 21, 2018
WASHINGTON (AP) — A group gaining influence in Washington as a champion for Medicare beneficiaries is bankrolled by major health insurance companies that are trying to cash in on private coverage offered through the federal health insurance program.
19.
US stocks rise again; tech and high-dividend companies climb -
Friday, December 7, 2018
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are mixed in morning trading Thursday as technology and health care companies rise. Safer, high-dividend stocks in real estate and utilities are also climbing. Banks are falling, and smaller companies continue to lag their larger rivals.
20.
DOJ approves $69B CVS Health-Aetna merger, with conditions -
Friday, October 5, 2018
NEW YORK (AP) — The proposed $69 billion merger between CVS Health and Aetna is getting a greenlight from the Department of Justice, with some conditions.
The Justice Department on Wednesday approved the deal on the condition that Aetna moves ahead with its plan to sell its Medicare Part D prescription drug plan business, resolving some anti-monopoly issues.
21.
Stocks slip after Fed says interest rates will rise faster -
Friday, June 8, 2018
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks slipped Wednesday after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates and said it expects to increase rates two more times by the end of the year. Investors bet that several huge deals are more likely to happen after a federal court cleared AT&T's $85 billion purchase of Time Warner.
22.
Health insurer Aetna swings to a first-quarter profit. -
Friday, April 27, 2018
Aetna made $1.21 billion and beat Wall Street earnings expectations in the first quarter, as the health insurer moved closer to sealing its roughly $69 billion combination with CVS Health.
The nation's third largest insurer said Tuesday that it swung to a profit after booking a loss in the first three months of 2017 due to costs from another deal, its failed bid to acquire rival Humana. Several months after regulators rejected that combination, CVS Health said it would buy Aetna.
23.
CVS Health eyes kidney patients for next expansion into care -
Friday, March 30, 2018
WOONSOCKET, R.I. (AP) — CVS Health is now planning to treat kidney failure patients, as the national drugstore chain continues to branch deeper into monitoring and providing care.
The company said Wednesday it will offer home dialysis for patients through its Coram business, and it is working with another unspecified company to develop a new device for that. A CVS spokeswoman declined to name the company or disclose how much CVS is spending on the venture.
24.
Walmart reportedly eyes deal with insurer Humana -
Friday, March 30, 2018
Walmart may be looking to dive deeper into the rapidly evolving health care market by acquiring the insurer Humana, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The newspaper said that the retail giant is in early talks with Humana, a major provider of Medicare Advantage coverage for people age 65 and older. Citing anonymous sources, the Journal said late Thursday that the companies are discussing a number of options, including an acquisition.
25.
Health insurer Cigna buying Express Scripts for $52 billion -
Friday, March 9, 2018
Health insurer Cigna is buying the nation's biggest pharmacy benefit manager, Express Scripts, the latest in a string of proposed tie-ups as health care's bill payers attempt to get a grip on rising costs.
26.
Cigna to spend about $52 billion for Express Scripts -
Friday, March 2, 2018
The insurer Cigna will spend about $52 billion to acquire the nation's biggest pharmacy benefit manager, Express Scripts, the latest in a string of proposed tie-ups as health care's bill payers attempt to get a grip on rising costs.
27.
US stocks edge higher; Express Scripts jumps on deal news -
Friday, March 2, 2018
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are rising Thursday morning as they continue a recovery that started late the previous day. Technology companies and retailers are making some of the biggest gains. Industrial companies are rising after the White House said President Donald Trump will announce tariffs on steel and aluminum imports that give exemptions to Canada and Mexico. Pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts jumped after health insurer Cigna agreed to buy it.
28.
Business titans face complex system in US health care push -
Friday, January 26, 2018
The leaders of Amazon.com, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan announced the ambitious goal of improving health care coverage all of their employees. They say they are forming a new company that will be "free from profit-making incentives and constraints" and hint its results might be applied on a broader scale. But the campaign is in its early planning stages.
29.
How Congress used the shutdown deal to cut more taxes -
Friday, January 19, 2018
WASHINGTON (AP) — The deal that ended the government shutdown also further cut taxes, adding billions more to the national deficit.
The tax cuts were a little noticed element of the much discussed deal, which provided funding to keep government agencies operating for about three weeks and renewed a popular health insurance program for poor children. They were added to entice Republicans to line up behind the temporary spending bill, even before the Democrats dug in and forced the three-day shutdown.
30.
UnitedHealth ventures deeper into care with nearly $5B deal -
Friday, December 1, 2017
The nation's biggest health insurer is spending nearly $5 billion to buy hundreds of clinics, just three days after rival Aetna announced a bigger tie up with CVS Health Corp.
UnitedHealth Group Inc. said Wednesday that it will buy DaVita Medical Group in a deal that extends the reach of its Optum health care services business to several more states.
31.
Beyond Rx? CVS Health-Aetna deal may mean more services -
Friday, December 1, 2017
CVS Health wants to do much more than fill your prescription or jab your arm with an annual flu shot.
The second-largest U.S. drugstore chain is buying Aetna, the third-largest health insurer, in order to push much deeper into customer care. The evolution won't happen overnight, but in time, shoppers may find more clinics in CVS stores and more services they can receive through the network of nearly 10,000 locations that the company has built.
32.
Corporate deal-making driven by fast technological change -
Friday, October 27, 2017
LONDON (AP) — The appetite for mergers and acquisitions remains near a record high as firms try to adapt to fast technological changes and despite a welter of geopolitical concerns, a survey of executives found Monday.
33.
Insurer Aetna unloads group life, disability for $1.45B -
Friday, October 20, 2017
Aetna, the nation's third-largest health insurer, is selling its domestic group life and disability businesses for $1.45 billion to Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Co.
34.
US stocks skid as GE tumbles and technology companies fall -
Friday, October 20, 2017
NEW YORK (AP) — Industrial and technology companies and retailers all stumbled Monday as U.S. stocks began the week with losses. General Electric suffered its worst one-day loss in six years following downgrades from analysts.
35.
Single-payer cuts the middle men but at what cost? -
Friday, September 1, 2017
Republicans made “Repeal and Replace” a catchy slogan for the right, but Democrats have one of their own.
Get ready to hear a lot of “Medicare for All,” the new rallying cry of those who think it’s time the United States adopts a single-payer health care system – or something like it.
36.
Suit: Aetna violated law with envelope revealing HIV status -
Friday, August 25, 2017
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A Pennsylvania man is suing health insurer Aetna, saying his sister learned he was taking HIV medication after the company mailed him an envelope with a large, clear window that showed information on where to purchase the drugs.
37.
Stocks start lower as tech companies and banks slip -
Friday, July 28, 2017
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are edging lower in early trading Thursday as banks, technology and health companies fall. Prescription drug distributor AmerisourceBergen and women's health diagnostic company Hologic tumbled, while a solid quarter from cereal maker Kellogg helped makers of food and household goods move higher.
38.
Key ACA insurer urges gov't to keep customer subsidies -
Friday, July 21, 2017
One of the biggest insurers in the Affordable Care Act's marketplaces is warning the federal government that it must preserve cost-sharing payments for low-income customers to avoid hurting millions of people.
39.
Key insurer Centene plans to expand health exchange presence -
Friday, June 9, 2017
Health insurer Centene announced plans Tuesday to expand into more Affordable Care Act insurance exchanges for next year, at a time when competitors are either pulling back from those markets or proposing steep price hikes to remain.
40.
Insurers continue to hike prices, abandon ACA markets -
Friday, May 26, 2017
People shopping for insurance through the Affordable Care Act in yet more regions could face higher prices and fewer choices next year as insurance companies lay out their early plans for 2018.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is asking regulators for a 23 percent price hike next year because it doesn't expect crucial payments from the federal government to continue. That announcement comes a day after Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City said it will leave the individual insurance market next year, a decision that affects about 67,000 people in a 32-county area in Kansas and Missouri.
41.
Anthem gives up Cigna bid, vows to fight on over damages -
Friday, May 12, 2017
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Anthem has ended its soured, $48 billion bid to buy rival Cigna, but the nation's second-largest health insurer isn't giving up a fight over whether Cigna deserves a termination fee for the scrapped deal.
42.
More price hikes likely for government insurance markets -
Friday, May 12, 2017
Early moves by insurers suggest that another round of price hikes and limited choices will greet insurance shoppers around the country when they start searching for next year's coverage on the public markets established by the Affordable Care Act.
43.
ACA exchanges grow thinner with Aetna leaving for 2018 -
Friday, May 5, 2017
While Republicans rewrite the Affordable Care Act in Washington, the immediate future of the law has grown hazier with the nation's third-largest health insurer saying that it will completely divorce itself from state-based insurance exchanges.
44.
Anthem asks Supreme Court to review blocked Cigna deal -
Friday, May 5, 2017
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Health insurer Anthem is not ready to give up its $48-billlion bid for rival Cigna and now hopes to find a favorable audience in the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Blue Cross-Blue Shield insurer is asking the court to review last week's rejection by a federal appeals court.
45.
Appeals court upholds decision to block Anthem bid for Cigna -
Friday, April 28, 2017
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court on Friday left in place a decision blocking Anthem Inc.'s bid to buy rival health insurer Cigna Corp, saying that a bigger company is not better for consumers.
46.
Insurer Anthem hands feds deadline on crucial ACA subsidies -
Friday, April 21, 2017
Health insurers are pressing President Donald Trump and Congress to guarantee a crucial customer subsidy for the Affordable Care Act's shaky insurance exchanges, and one of the biggest carriers has thrown in its participation as bargaining chip.
47.
US stocks fall as weak auto sales trouble investors -
Friday, March 31, 2017
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks started the second quarter with a thud Monday after car makers reported disappointing March sales, a possible warning about other types of spending. But a late recovery helped stocks avoid bigger losses.
48.
Some parts of Obamacare working well, problems with others -
Friday, March 24, 2017
WASHINGTON (AP) — Once again, "Obamacare" has survived a near-death experience. It won't be the end of the political debate, but House Speaker Paul Ryan acknowledges, "We're going to be living with 'Obamacare' for the foreseeable future."
49.
Health insurer Aetna to spend $3.3B buying back stock -
Friday, February 17, 2017
Aetna will spend $3.3 billion to buy back more than 20 million shares of its stock after the health insurer's board authorized more repurchases last week.
The nation's third largest insurer said Wednesday that it entered into accelerated buyback agreements with two dealers for about 10.4 million shares from each. Aetna will pay each dealer $1.65 billion and is using available cash to fund the deals.
50.
Aetna fattens shareholder payout after Humana deal fails -
Friday, February 17, 2017
Aetna is doubling the quarterly dividend it pays shareholders and buying back stock as it regroups from its failed attempt to acquire rival health insurer Humana.
Aetna Inc. said Friday its board declared a quarterly cash dividend of 50 cents per share and also authorized the repurchase of up to an additional $4 billion worth of the company's stock.
51.
Insurer Anthem fires back at Cigna -
Friday, February 10, 2017
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Health insurers Anthem and Cigna are now trading lawsuits instead of working together to salvage a shaky $48-billion buyout agreement.
The Blue Cross-Blue Shield carrier Anthem said Wednesday that it is seeking a restraining order to block its smaller rival from terminating their deal, which has already been blocked by a federal judge.
52.
Aetna, Humana call off $34 billion deal -
Friday, February 10, 2017
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Major health insurers Aetna and Humana called off their $34 billion combination after a federal judge, citing concerns about prices and benefits, rejected the deal.
The announcement Tuesday comes several days after another federal judge shot down a tie-up between two other massive insurers. Blue Cross-Blue Shield carrier Anthem Inc. is attempting to buy Cigna Corp. for $48 billion. Anthem is appealing that decision.
53.
Federal judge rejects Aetna's purchase of Humana -
Friday, January 20, 2017
A federal judge has rejected health insurer Aetna's bid to buy rival Humana on grounds that the deal would hurt competition in hundreds of Medicare Advantage markets, ultimately affecting the price consumers pay for coverage.
54.
US stock indexes close slightly lower; oil prices slide -
Friday, January 20, 2017
Energy companies led U.S. stock indexes slightly lower Monday as the price of crude oil fell.
Real estate, phone companies and other high-dividend stocks did better than the rest of the market as bond yields headed lower, making those sectors more appealing to investors seeking income.
55. Energy companies and banks led rally on S&P 500 in 2016 - Friday, December 30, 2016
NEW YORK (AP) — In 2016, the Standard & Poor's 500 index jumped 9.5 percent and bounced back from a flat result the year before, and energy companies and banks made some of the largest gains as investors bet on a stronger economy that will lead to more lending and spending. Health care companies slumped as drug prices came under intense scrutiny.
56. Asian stocks lower in light trading after Christmas - Friday, December 23, 2016
BEIJING (AP) — Stock markets in Japan and China declined Monday in light trading after Christmas with most other Asian markets closed.
KEEPING SCORE: The Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.8 percent to 3,085.82 and Tokyo's Nikkei 225 shed 0.1 percent to 19,416.03. Seoul's Kospi gained 0.1 percent to 2,037 and India's Sensex retreated 0.8 percent to 25,826.83. Taiwan declined while Thailand advanced. Markets in Hong Kong, Australia, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia were closed.
57. Stocks close higher, helped by health care companies - Friday, November 25, 2016
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks closed slightly higher on Tuesday, boosted by health-care companies like UnitedHealth Group, which helped outweigh steep declines in energy companies.
Tiffany jumped after it reported better quarterly results than analysts expected.
58. Q&A: New sign-up season; new woes for Obama health law - Friday, October 21, 2016
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is leaving the White House in a few months, but the troubles of his namesake health care law continue to make headlines. With premiums rising by double digits and many consumers scrambling to replace coverage because their insurer bailed out, the 2017 sign-up season that starts Nov. 1 looks challenging.
59. UnitedHealth raises 2016 forecast, again - Friday, October 14, 2016
UnitedHealth Group has hiked its 2016 earnings forecast again after its profit swelled 23 percent to nearly $2 billion in the third quarter, helped by gains both in and outside its core insurance business.
60. Report says Obama administration failed to follow health law - Friday, September 30, 2016
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration failed to follow the president's health care law in a $5 billion dispute over compensating insurers for high costs from seriously ill patients, Congress' investigative arm said Thursday.
61. Insurer Aetna slashes ACA exchange participation to 4 states - Friday, August 12, 2016
Aetna has become the latest health insurer to retreat from the Affordable Care Act's public exchanges by announcing a pullback that will further deplete customer choices in many pockets of the country.
62. Health insurer Aetna backs off ACA expansion plans - Friday, July 29, 2016
Aetna became the latest health insurer to cast doubt upon its future in the Affordable Care Act's insurance exchanges after it called off a planned expansion Tuesday and suggested it could abandon that market completely.
63. Feds say health mergers would increase costs, threaten care - Friday, July 22, 2016
WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) — The U.S. government is suing to stop two major health insurance mergers, a move regulators say is needed to protect Americans from potential cost hikes and lower quality care.
64. Tennessee joins federal lawsuit to block health care merger - Friday, July 22, 2016
NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee is joining a federal lawsuit to stop the merger of major health insurance companies.
State Attorney General Herbert Slatery says in a release Thursday that the move by Blue Cross-Blue Shield insurer Anthem to acquire Cigna would reduce competition in Tennessee and could affect benefits, premiums and care.
65. Feds sue stop health insurer combos, see threat to consumer - Friday, July 15, 2016
Federal regulators are suing to stop two major health insurance mergers because they say the deals will increase health care costs for Americans and lower the quality of care they get.
The Department of Justice said Thursday that the combinations of Aetna and Humana and Anthem and Cigna would hurt competition that restrains the price of coverage and lead to reduced benefits, among other drawbacks.
66. Significant premium hikes expected under Obama health law - Friday, April 29, 2016
WASHINGTON (AP) — Insurers will seek significant premium hikes under President Barack Obama's health care law this summer - stiff medicine for consumers and voters ahead of the national political conventions.
67. Insurer Aetna lays out concerns about ACA exchange business - Friday, January 29, 2016
Aetna has joined other major health insurers in sounding a warning about the Affordable Care Act's public insurance exchanges.
The nation's third-largest insurer said Monday that it has been struggling with customers who sign up for coverage outside the ACA's annual enrollment window and then use a lot of care. This dumps claims on the insurer without providing enough premium revenue to counter those costs.
68. US stocks edge mostly lower as energy prices plunge again - Friday, January 29, 2016
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are closing mostly lower after another steep drop in oil and natural gas prices pulled energy companies down.
Prices for crude oil and natural gas each slumped about 6 percent Monday, the latest blow to the beleaguered energy sector.
69. General Electric to move headquarters to Boston - Friday, January 8, 2016
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — General Electric, one of the best known companies in corporate America, is moving its headquarters from suburban Connecticut to Boston, the company announced Wednesday.
70. Stocks rebound after early slide; tech stocks lead gains - Friday, January 8, 2016
A volatile day on Wall Street ended in upbeat fashion Tuesday as a late-afternoon rally led by technology stocks pushed the market to a modest gain.
The turnaround helped snap an eight-day trading slump for the Nasdaq composite, which is heavily weighted with technology stocks.
71. How to spend $5 trillion: A record-breaking year in deals - Friday, December 25, 2015
NEW YORK (AP) — Companies around the world spent a record $5.04 trillion on acquisitions in 2015, according to Dealogic, as slow worldwide economic growth and low interest rates pushed companies to combine forces.
72. Belmont’s Littlejohn named Professor of the Year - Friday, November 27, 2015
Belmont’s Ronnie Littlejohn, professor of philosophy and director of the University’s Asian Studies program, has been named as the 2015 Tennessee Professor of the Year, an award selection determined by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
73. Insurers reassure investors about ACA exchange business - Friday, November 20, 2015
Health insurers rallied Friday to ease investor and customer concerns about the Affordable Care Act's public insurance exchanges a day after the nation's biggest insurer questioned its future in that still-developing market.
74. Questions and answers about UnitedHealth's exchange troubles - Friday, November 20, 2015
UnitedHealth Group said Thursday that it is pulling back from its push into the Affordable Care Act's public insurance exchanges only a month after touting future growth prospects for that business.
75. UnitedHealth cuts outlook, casts doubt on overhaul exchanges - Friday, November 20, 2015
The nation's largest health insurer is questioning its future in public insurance exchanges, the latest signal of major concerns about the online marketplaces that have helped the Affordable Care Act extend coverage to millions of people.
76. UnitedHealth ties to public insurance exchanges uncertain - Friday, November 13, 2015
UnitedHealth chopped its 2015 earnings forecast and the nation's largest health insurer has begun to question its future in public insurance exchanges, a key component in the nation's health care overhaul.
77. Gary, Hart to lead new consulting group - Friday, November 13, 2015
Two health care veterans and international law firm Dickinson Wright PLLC are launching a new corporate health care venture to be based in Nashville, DW Franklin Consulting Group, LLC. The firms will work together to provide solutions spanning both legal and business consulting services.
78. Big insurers remain upbeat on fledgling ACA exchanges - Friday, October 30, 2015
Slipping enrollment and struggling competitors have done little to shake the faith that the nation's biggest health insurers have placed in the Affordable Care Act's public insurance exchanges.
Aetna executives said Thursday that the exchanges, a key element in the overhaul's push to cover millions of uninsured people, remain a good market, even though the insurer's enrollment in them fell 11 percent to about 814,000 people in the third quarter. Leaders of the Blue Cross-Blue Shield insurer Anthem have voiced a similar sentiment, and UnitedHealth said earlier this month that it will expand into 11 more exchanges next year.
79. Clinton questions plans for health insurers to merge - Friday, October 16, 2015
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton warned Wednesday that two major health insurers preparing multibillion dollar acquisitions could tip "the balance of power" too far away from consumers.
The Democratic presidential candidate said in a statement she had "serious concerns" with the proposed acquisition of Cigna by Blue Cross-Blue Shield insurer Anthem, and plans by Aetna to acquire Medicare Advantage coverage provider Humana.
80. UnitedHealth again looks to fast-growing businesses in 3Q - Friday, October 9, 2015
UnitedHealth Group's third-quarter profit slipped, but the nation's largest health insurer still beat Wall Street expectations due partly to fast growth in pharmacy benefits management and other areas outside its core business.
81. CEOs of Aetna, Anthem make case for health insurance mergers - Friday, September 18, 2015
WASHINGTON (AP) — Leaders of two major health insurers planning multibillion dollar acquisitions made their case to Congress that bigger can mean better in their industry, but concerns are being raised in Washington about how these deals will affect consumers and competition.
82. Mega-health deals bloom in July, Anthem bids $48B for Cigna - Friday, July 24, 2015
NEW YORK (AP) — Anthem is buying rival Cigna for $48 billion in a deal that would create the nation's largest health insurer by enrollment, covering about 53 million U.S patients.
In just three weeks, starting with Aetna's $35 billion bid for Humana Inc. on July 3, the landscape of U.S. health care has been altered in a buyout frenzy that could transform five massive U.S. health companies into just three, including UnitedHealth Group.
83. US stocks slip amid global sell-off after Greek 'no' vote - Friday, July 3, 2015
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks in the U.S. fell broadly following drops in overseas markets as Greeks voted to reject creditor conditions for more loans, but the losses weren't as steep as many had feared.
84. Centene plans $6.3B acquisition of fellow insurer Health Net - Friday, June 26, 2015
Medicaid coverage provider Centene will pay about $6.3 billion to buy fellow insurer Health Net, as managed-care companies look to bulk up while adjusting to the federal health care overhaul.
The deal announced Thursday morning gives St. Lous-based Centene a chance to grow in two hot areas for health insurers, the state- and federally funded Medicaid program for the poor and people with disabilities, and the federally funded Medicare Advantage program, which has seen its overall enrollment triple over the past decade.
85. Uniguest names Morgan chief executive officer - Friday, July 3, 2015
Uniguest, a provider of secure managed technology services, has announced the appointment of Joseph P. Morgan, Jr. as chief executive officer, effective July 6, 2015.
Morgan had served as president and chief executive officer of The Standard Register Company, a publicly traded company with revenues approaching $1 billion, since January 2009. At The Standard Register Company, he was responsible for the transformation of the printing giant to an integrated communications company leveraging both technology and innovation to develop a market-focused strategy. Morgan also served on the Board of Directors and held a number of community and charitable leadership positions during his tenure with the company.
86. HCA, other hospital stocks leap after Supreme Court backs overhaul - Friday, June 26, 2015
Investors in hospital stocks rejoiced Thursday after the Supreme Court upheld a key portion of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul and eliminated the prospect of a sudden influx of uninsured patients seeking care.
87. Hospital stocks leap after Supreme Court backs overhaul - Friday, June 19, 2015
Investors in hospital stocks rejoiced Thursday after the Supreme Court upheld a key portion of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul and eliminated the prospect of a sudden influx of uninsured patients seeking care.
88. Focus on talk of company deals sends US stock indexes higher - Friday, June 12, 2015
Signs of more corporate dealmaking sent U.S. stocks higher on Tuesday, allowing investors to take their mind off Greece's debt troubles.
Investors were also looking ahead to Wednesday's economic and interest rate policy update from the Federal Reserve. They'll be looking for hints as to when the central bank will begin raising its key interest rate after holding it close to zero for more than six years.
89. Genetic testing moves into world of employee health - Friday, April 24, 2015
Your employer may one day help determine if your genes are why your jeans have become too snug.
Big companies are considering blending genetic testing with coaching on nutrition and exercise to help workers lose weight and improve their health before serious conditions like diabetes or heart disease develop. It's a step beyond the typical corporate wellness programs that many companies are using to make workers more aware of their risk factors and improve their health.
90. Stocks end mostly higher as company earnings reports pour in - Friday, April 24, 2015
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks posted modest gains Tuesday as investors worked through another large batch of earnings reports.
Pharmaceutical stocks rose after drug giant Merck reported better-than-expected results. Twitter plunged nearly 20 percent after its results, which were released early, missed analysts' marks.
91. Why businesses are speaking out on religious-objections laws - Friday, March 27, 2015
NEW YORK (AP) — A bevy of big-name businesses including Apple, Gap and Levi Strauss are publicly speaking out against religious-objections legislation in states such as Indiana and Arkansas.
The world's largest retailer and America's largest private employer, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., waded into the debate Tuesday when its CEO urged Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson to veto a bill in Arkansas that critics said would open the door to discrimination against gays and lesbians. On Wednesday Hutchinson called for changes to the bill.
92. US economic growth in Q4 revised down to 2.2 percent - Friday, February 27, 2015
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy slowed more sharply in the final three months of the year than initial estimates, reflecting weaker business stockpiling and a bigger trade deficit.
The Commerce Department said Friday that the economy as measured by the gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 2.2 percent in the October-December quarter, weaker than the 2.6 percent first estimated last month. It marked a major slowdown from the third quarter, which had been the strongest growth in 11 years.
93. Applications for US jobless aid rise to 313,000 - Friday, February 20, 2015
WASHINGTON (AP) — More Americans sought unemployment aid last week, though the number of applications was still consistent with steady hiring.
The Labor Department said Thursday that weekly applications rose 31,000 to a seasonally adjusted 313,000, the most in six weeks. The four-week average, a less volatile measure, increased 11,500 to 294,500.
94. A more robust US job market adds 257K positions as pay jumps - Friday, February 6, 2015
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers added a vigorous 257,000 jobs in January, and wages jumped by the most in six years — evidence that the job market is accelerating closer to full health.
95. UnitedHealth earnings rise 6 pct, top Wall St. expectations - Friday, January 16, 2015
UnitedHealth topped Wall Street expectations for the fourth quarter, and the nation's largest health insurer brought an optimistic vibe for the new year as it detailed final results from 2014.
The Minneapolis-based insurer said Wednesday that it expects stronger enrollment growth from Medicare Advantage plans, a key product that had been pinched by funding cuts in recent years. It also has already gained more than 400,000 customers through its expanded presence on the health care overhaul's public insurance exchanges, and operating earnings from its Optum segment, which runs several businesses outside health insurance, climbed more than 50 percent.
96. Help wanted: US job openings at 14-year high - Friday, January 9, 2015
WASHINGTON (AP) â?? The rapid hiring that made 2014 a stellar year for job gains is showing no sign of slowing down.
U.S. employers advertised the most job openings in nearly 14 years in November, the Labor Department said Tuesday. That suggests businesses are determined to keep adding staff because they are confident strong economic growth will create more demand for their goods and services.
97. Health care overhaul doubts ease for insurers - Friday, October 24, 2014
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — What a difference a year makes. The nation's biggest health insurers entered last fall cautious about a major coverage expansion initiated by the health care overhaul, the federal law that aims to cover millions of uninsured people.
98. Wal-Mart plans 1-stop health coverage shopping - Friday, October 3, 2014
NEW YORK (AP) — Wal-Mart is taking one-stop shopping to another area: health insurance.
The world's largest retailer plans to work with DirectHealth.com, an online health insurance comparison site and agency, to allow shoppers to compare coverage options and enroll in Medicare plans or the public exchange plans created under the Affordable Care Act.
99. Health insurers: Payment rates above 80 percent - Friday, May 2, 2014
WASHINGTON (AP) — Top health insurance companies told members of Congress Wednesday that more than 80 percent of people who've signed up under the president's new health care law have gone on to pay their premiums — a necessary step for the enrollment figures touted by the Obama administration to hold up.
100. WellPoint helps investors breathe easy on overhaul - Friday, April 25, 2014
Investors pushed WellPoint shares closer to their all-time high price on Wednesday after the company raised its 2014 forecast again and became the latest health insurer to ease some worry about a key health care overhaul coverage expansion.