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: 

Cigna reports strong fourth quarter, shrugs off potential impact of drug rebate rule proposal

Insurance giant Cigna posted strong year-end results following its merger with Express Scripts. Cigna pulled in $49 billion in revenue for the year, a 15% increase over 2017. Its income from operations was $3.6 billion or $14.22 a share, up more than 30% over $2.7 billion, or $8.77 a share, in 2017.

Fierce Healthcare

Friday, February 1, 2019

Lawsuit Details How The Sackler Family Allegedly Built An OxyContin Fortune

The first nine months of 2013 started off as a banner year for the Sackler family, owners of the pharmaceutical company that produces OxyContin, the addictive opioid pain medication. Purdue Pharma paid the family $400 million from its profits during that time, claims a lawsuit filed by the Massachusetts attorney general.

NPR

Friday, February 1, 2019

Trump officials make new moves to lower drug prices

A new proposal from the Trump administration is targeting secretive rebates between drug manufacturers, insurers and pharmacy benefits managers as a way to lower drug prices for Medicare.

The Hill

Friday, February 1, 2019

In a heated court hearing, Atul Gawande’s new company and Optum fight to keep their own secrets

The executive in the middle of an intense legal fight between UnitedHealth Group and the new health venture helmed by Dr. Atul Gawande testified Wednesday that he did not attempt to steal trade secrets from the United subsidiary, Optum, and was taken aback by the ferocity of the legal allegations against him.

Stat News

Thursday, January 31, 2019

VA Issues New Rules Expanding Access to Private Care

The Department of Veterans Affairs announced new rules greatly expanding the amount of medical care provided to military veterans through the private sector, potentially costing billions of dollars and fueling debate over the privatization of the health services under the Trump administration.

Wall Street Journal

Thursday, January 31, 2019

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.