Here are 19 stories Becker's has covered about Aetna and its parent company, CVS Health, since Dec. 27:
- Aetna was named among 16 payers as one of "America's Greatest Workplaces 2023 for Diversity" by Newsweek.
- CVS Health launched new virtual care offerings focused on primary care and mental health services.
- Aetna is bolstering its network in North Carolina ahead of its takeover of the state's health plan for public employees.
- Eight of Aetna's Better Health plans received the health equity accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is challenging the state's decision to hand its State Health Plan contract to Aetna in court.
- CVS Health confirmed it will acquire primary care company Oak Street Health in an all-cash deal worth $10.6 billion.
- Three payers competing for North Carolina's state health plan contract submitted very similar bids, but Aetna ultimately won out thanks to its higher score for its administrative services.
- Aetna was awarded a contract to continue managing West Virginia's Medicaid services for children in the foster care system.
- A law that went into full effect in 2019 granted Oregon residents free reproductive healthcare coverage, but state officials found that at least 12 insurers continued to charge beneficiaries, including Aetna.
- CMS will implement stricter audits of Medicare Advantage plans, a move that could leave payers on the hook for billions of dollars in repayments to the federal government. Matt Eyles, president and CEO of health insurance trade group AHIP, told Becker's ahead of the ruling the association believes the rule is "unlawful in terms of its construction." Aetna deferred to AHIP.
- A group of senators is seeking answers from major payers, including Aetna, over "ghost networks" that make it difficult for patients to find in-network mental healthcare providers.
- CVS Accountable Care Organization and Chicago-based Rush University System for Health are collaborating on ACO REACH participation for Medicare members in the Chicago area.
- Huntington Beach, Calif.-based Coast Surgery Center is suing Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Anthem Blue Cross California, Blue Shield of California, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and all BCBS affiliates.
- CVS Health, parent company of Aetna, was listed in the food and drug retailer category in Just Capital and CNBC's ranking of the top 1,000 publicly traded U.S. companies. The company ranked first in its category and 120th overall.
- Aetna received a five-star rating for diversity, equity and inclusion in Newsweek's "Greatest Workplaces for Diversity."
- CVS Health CEO Karen Lynch said the company is "disappointed" in its recent Medicare Advantage open enrollment numbers.
- Aetna and Munster, Ind.-based Community Healthcare System agreed to a contract extension, avoiding a split that would have left Aetna commercial and Medicare Advantage members out of network.
- Ten payers are involved in 85 percent of all disputes involving out-of-network emergency and nonemergency items in services under the No Surprises Act's independent dispute resolution process, including Aetna at 14 percent.
- Georgia launched its own online health insurance portal called Georgia Access, which includes links to 10 other health insurance companies, including Aetna.