News, Analysis, Trends, Management Innovations for
Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Groups
Hosted by Robert Michel

News, Analysis, Trends, Management Innovations for
Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Groups
Hosted by Robert Michel
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Federal Judges Block Anthem-Cigna and Aetna-Humana Deals to Protect Market Competition and Healthcare Consumers

May 8, 2017 | Compliance, Legal, and Malpractice, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology

Mergers that would have reshaped the nation’s largest insurance companies would directly affect the provider networks independent medical laboratories rely on

For pathology groups and medical laboratories, the news about two thwarted deals involving mega insurance companies might be seen as a positive development.

The proposed deals—Anthem’s $48-billion bid to buy Cigna, and a proposed $37-billion Aetna–Humana merger—would have reshaped the US health insurance industry had they not been blocked by federal judges who cited possible harm to market competition, Bloomberg reported.

For now, all four health insurance companies will continue to use their existing provider networks, which is good news for clinical laboratories. Experts had expected the bigger players in each deal—Anthem and Aetna—to possibly prune the provider networks of Cigna and Humana, respectively, which could have financially burdened thousands of healthcare organizations and independent medical laboratories. (more…)

New Managed Care Contract Opportunity for Clinical Labs and Pathology Groups

Sep 14, 2009 | Laboratory Pathology, Managed Care Contracts & Payer Reimbursement

As health insurers build patient-friendly web sites, they now want all the lab test data

For laboratories wanting to contract with managed care plans, it will soon be “all about the data.” In upcoming contract renewal talks, expect health insurers to have a keen interest in working specifically with those clinical laboratories and pathology groups which can interface and electronically provide lab test data.

Dark Daily is first to identify this important development. It creates an opportunity for local laboratories to contribute added value to payers in their region. There is a specific reason for this increased interest. Health insurers are building information-rich Web sites for their insured beneficiaries. It is now important for them to have laboratory test data that they can use to populate the digital health record of their beneficiaries.
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