News From Around the Web
> Centene Corp. announced plans Thursday to purchase Health Net, California's fourth-largest health insurer, for $6.8 billion. However, immediately following the deal, industry analysts said UnitedHealth Group may make a competing offer, reports the Los Angeles Times. Article
> Colorado told the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Thursday that the state officially selected the Kaiser State Employee Plan as Colorado's Essential Health Benefit (EHB) benchmark plan for 2017 and beyond. Letter (.pdf)
> Many healthcare lobbying firms are focusing on changes to the Affordable Care Act, such as repealing the "Cadillac" tax on health plans, the medical device tax, the 30-hour workweek rule and the cost-cutting panel known as the Independent Payment Advisory Board, reports The Hill. Article
Health Finance News
> The United States Department of Justice and the Michigan Attorney General have filed an antitrust lawsuit against four hospital systems in the Great Lakes State, claiming they entered into agreements to curb their marketing to allocated territories. Article
> With unions weakened and management emboldened by shifts in worker demographics in recent decades, labor is recalculating how to obtain more leverage in negotiations moving forward, the Wall Street Journal has reported. Article
And finally … Court rules that grammar rules. Article