Friday Five: Top 5 healthcare business news items from the MCOL Weekend edition

Every business day, MCOL posts feature stories making news on the business of health care. Here are five we think are particularly important for this week:

Health Care Tops Guns, Economy As Voters’ Top Issue

Health care has emerged as the top issue for voters headed into the midterm elections, but fewer than half of them say they are hearing a lot from candidates on the issue, according to a new poll released Thursday.

Kaiser Health News

Thursday, October 18, 2018

Trump: All Republicans will support people with pre-existing conditions 'after I speak to them'

President Trump tweeted Thursday that “all Republicans support people with pre-existing conditions, and if they don’t, they will after I speak to them.”

The Hill

Thursday, October 18, 2018

What will CVS-Aetna mega-merger mean for consumer choice

It's the latest merger between two major healthcare players that could affect tens of millions of Americans. Last week, CVS and insurance giant Aetna finalized a nearly $70 billion merger. The deal could impact where people get their care, how they get their drugs and how much choice they have. Judy Woodruff discusses with Larry Merlo, CEO of CVS Health.

PBS News

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Insurer Anthem will pay record $16M for massive data breach

The nation’s second-largest health insurer has agreed to pay the government a record $16 million to settle potential privacy violations in the biggest known health care hack in U.S. history, officials said Monday.

AP News

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Medicare Advantage Riding High As New Insurers Flock To Sell To Seniors

Health care experts widely expected the Affordable Care Act to hobble Medicare Advantage, the government-funded private health plans that millions of seniors have chosen as an alternative to original Medicare.

KFF

Monday, October 15, 2018

These and more weekly news items on the business of healthcare are featured in the MCOL Weekend edition, along with the MCOL Tidbits, and more, for MCOL Premium level members.