Jul 12, 2017

Humana, Oscar partner on small business health plan

Craig Lassig / AP

Humana and Oscar Health are partnering on a new health insurance product that will only be offered to small businesses with 50 or fewer employees in the Nashville area, the two insurers said Wednesday.

What's in it for them: Humana gets a 50-50 partner to sell small business coverage in a growing part of the country (without re-entering the individual Affordable Care Act market it abandoned). Oscar gets a big name to help with hospital and doctor contracting, and it is diversifying into the more lucrative job-based health insurance market.

Oscar's moves: The tech-focused insurer, which is backed by more than $700 million in venture capital funding, has struggled financially in its infancy. But Oscar is aggressively expanding with the hope that new partnerships with established names and new products outside the tough ACA market will pay dividends.

Go deeper

Rashaan Ayesh
6 mins ago - Health

In photos: America celebrates July 4 during global pandemic

Photo: Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

The U.S. has already celebrated Easter, graduations and so much more during the coronavirus pandemic, and now it can add July 4 to the list.

The state of play: Axios' Stef Kight writes public parades and fireworks displays around much of the country are being canceled to prevent mass gatherings where the virus could spread. Hot-dog contests and concerts will play to empty stands and virtual audiences — all while American pride treads an all-time low.

Go deeper (<1 min. read)Arrow
Axios
Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 1 p.m. ET: 11,137,846 — Total deaths: 526,156 — Total recoveries — 6,003,824 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 1 p.m. ET: 2,809,108 — Total deaths: 129,509 — Total recoveries: 883,561 — Total tested: 34,213,497 — Map.
  3. States: America's exceptionally uneventful Fourth of July — ICU beds in Arizona's hot spot reach near capacity.
  4. Public health: U.S. coronavirus infections hit record highs for 3 straight days.
  5. Politics: Trump extends PPP application deadline — Kimberly Guilfoyle tests positive.
  6. World: Mexican leaders call for tighter border control as infections rise in U.S.
  7. Sports: 31 MLB players test positive as workouts resume.
  8. 1 📽 thing: Drive-in movie theaters are making a comeback.
Go deeper (<1 min. read)Arrow
Orion Rummler
2 hours ago - Health

U.S. coronavirus infections hit record highs for 3 straight days

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

The U.S. has reached new highs in single-day coronavirus infections for three consecutive days this week, per data from Johns Hopkins and the COVID Tracking Project.

The big picture: The number of coronavirus cases increased in the vast majority of states over the last week, and decreased in only two states plus the District of Columbia, Axios' Andrew Witherspoon and Caitlin Owens report.

Go deeper (<1 min. read)Arrow