News From Around the Web
> Cigna has outlined a series of steps it will take to curb the country's opioid abuse crisis, including commitments to reduce opioid use among customers by 25 percent in three years and to treat substance abuse disorder as a chronic disease. Announcement
> After a one-year hiatus, Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico plans to return to the state's health insurance exchange, KRQE News 13 reports. Article
> The federal government has approved California's expansion of a tax on health plans that contributes hundreds of millions of dollars to Medi-Cal and other programs, the Sacramento Bee reports. Article
Healthcare News
> Combining approaches from palliative care and population health may improve care quality for elderly and frail patients, a pair of doctors suggest in a JAMA Viewpoints article. Article
Mobile Healthcare Newss
> Apple's well-received HealthKit, an open source healthcare data collection and sharing platform, holds promise, but formidable challenges must be hurdled if the system is to attain its full potential. Article
And Finally… Meow, or forever hold your peace. Article