In a final rule that CMS said would help customers “suffering from high Obamacare premiums,” the agency’s 2019 rule for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges would give states more power on how plans cover required benefits and widen exemptions to the law’s individual mandate in the final year customers can be penalized for not having ACA-compliant insurance.

Insurance companies are beginning to decide what they’ll charge and whether to participate on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges for 2019, with Matt Eyles, the next CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), saying it’s “not a pretty picture right now” for individual market insurers.

Bracco Diagnostics has filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) against radiopharmaceutical firm Jubilant DraxImage and two affiliates, citing patent infringement on its rubidium-82 generators.

For all the attention given to forays from Amazon, Apple and Walmart into the healthcare space, traditional providers are more worried about the continued expansion of UnitedHealthGroup’s Optum into clinical care, according to an article in Bloomberg.

Imaging giant Bracco Diagnostics has filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission against Jubilant DraxImage, a Canadian radiopharmaceutical firm, requesting the ITC halt imports of Jubilant’s Ruby-Fill rubidium-82 generators and related components.

A new bill introduced in California’s state legislature would put the state in charge of setting rates for medical services covered by private insurers, setting up a battle between consumer groups and the lobbyists for the healthcare industry.

In fiscal year 2017, HHS and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recovered nearly $2.6 billion from settlements and judgments in healthcare fraud cases, with $1.4 billion being transferred to the Medicare Trust Funds.

Four of the five major health insurers in the U.S. are involved in major mergers and acquisitions discussed over the past few months. The lone exception has been Anthem, which may put the company in a stronger position, according to the Wall Street Journal.