Payer Roundup—Centene completes purchase of Fidelis; Bevin cuts off Medicaid dental, vision benefits

Centene completes purchase of Fidelis

Like clockwork, another insurer acquisition has come full circle.

Centene announced Monday that following the receipt of all required regulatory approval, its $3.75 billion purchase of Fidelis Care is complete.

"We are pleased to have completed our transaction with Fidelis Care on schedule and to enter the New York market by joining with a company with which we are closely aligned on many levels," Michael Neidorff, chairman and CEO of Centene, said in a statement. "By bringing together two leaders in high quality, affordable healthcare with a shared mission of promoting accessible care and services for all, this transaction creates opportunities for us to further transform the health of the communities we serve, one person at a time." (Release)

Kentucky governor cuts off Medicaid dental, vision benefits

Kentucky's governor is taking his recent legal rejection hard.

Keeping his word, Gov. Matt Bevin is canceling dental and vision benefits for Medicaid receipts following a federal judge's ruling that blocked the state's Medicaid work requirements.

In an email to The Louisville Courier-Journal, the governor's administration said the cuts were "an unfortunate consequence of the judge's ruling," and that it hopes to "quickly resolve the fallout from the court ruling."

Bevin has previously threatened to cancel the state's Medicaid expansion if the court blocked work requirements. (The Louisville Courier-Journal)

Empire BCBS, New York hospital reach agreement

Empire BlueCross BlueShield and South Nassau Communities Hospital have reached a deal that will keep the facility in the insurer’s network, hospital officials announced Monday.

"We are very grateful for the support and patience we received throughout the last month from our patients and BlueCross members," the hospital said in a statement.

The agreement comes after some Blue Cross members received a letter in May indicating South Nassau might be out of network as of July 1.

Financial terms of the two-and-a-half year deal were not disclosed.