News From Around the Web
> New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's administration has denied a Garden State hospital group's appeal requesting that the state stop Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey's OMNIA network, according to Asbury Park Press. Article
> Cheating allegations have led the state of Minnesota to retest nearly 600 nursing assistants seeking their licenses, according to CBS Minnesota. Article
> One of the largest hospital networks in the Twin Cities metro area will stop offering fried or sugary food and drink, according to Bring Me the News. Article
Health Payer News
> Since the major payer mergers were announced, many have debated whether they will damage competition in the health insurance market. But to truly evaluate how the deals will play out, it may be most effective to analyze their effects at the state level. Article
> About 10 percent of large nonprofit organizations have sought an "accommodation" from the Affordable Care Act's requirement that private health insurance plans provide contraceptive coverage for women, according to a new study by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Article
And Finally… How the glitch stole Christmas. Article