News From Around the Web
> After less than two years in the position, Anthem's Chief Strategy Officer Martin Silverstein, M.D., left the company on Dec. 11. While no official reason has been given for Silverstein's departure from the insurance giant, a spokesperson from the company said it had nothing to do with the Cigna deal, AP reports. Article
> During a conference call to discuss its growth outlook for 2016, Express Scripts Holding Co. said it was negotiating the repricing of its contract with Anthem, but it did not yet know the terms of the deal, according to Reuters. Article
> Managed care giant Cigna has launched an awareness campaign to prevent diabetes, which will encourage Americans to get annual checkups. During the campaign, Cigna will donate $1 to the American Diabetes Association--up to $100,000--each time the Cigna campaign badge is shared on social media through March 31, 2016. Announcement
Health Payer AntiFraud News
> Home health clinicians and executives are facing as much as 80 months in prison and up to $9.4 million is restitution after billing Medicare for medically unnecessary care. Article
Healthcare News
> Once again, the nursing profession is named the most ethical by the annual Gallup poll. Eighty-five percent of the 824 Americans polled this year rated nurses' honesty and ethical standards as 'very high" or "high," and for the past 14 years, consumers have seen nursing as the most honest, and the American Nurses Association hopes to leverage this trust to improve healthcare. Article
And finally… Maybe Kevin's sweater with the big bird knitted on it wasn't so bad. Article