Highmark paid nearly $7M to former Blue Cross CEO; New Hampshire regulators OK Aetna-Humana deal

> Denise Cesare, the former president and CEO of Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania, received nearly $7 million in total compensation last year from Highmark after the larger insurer acquired her company, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Article

> The New Hampshire Insurance Department approved the proposed merger between Aetna and Humana, saying its review found "no anti-competitive effect" would result from the deal. Announcement

> A new dashboard from the Council for Affordable Health Coverage tracks changes in premiums and deductibles, plan selections, concerns about eligibility for special enrollment periods and increases in Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program enrollment. Dashboard

Health IT News

> Cancer center chain 21st Century Oncology faces at least seven class-action lawsuits related to a cyberattack that compromised the data of 2.2 million people. Article

Health Finance News

> A new forecast says that the healthcare sector is one of the biggest drivers of new jobs in the U.S. economy--and 44 percent of companies in the healthcare sector with 50 employees or more are expected to add permanent jobs during the second quarter of 2016. Article

And finally… Happy April Fools Day. Video