Optum

The San Francisco-based telemental health company will use funds to grow into new markets.

Finalization of the deal is contingent upon approvals by state and regulatory authorities.

Medicare Advantage plans need to offer an array of choices to meet the overall health needs of members.

Competitors Humana, MultiPlan, Optum, Quest Diagnostics and UnitedHealthcare are creating the alliance to advance healthcare uses for blockchain, explains Michael Kim, CIO at MultiPlan.

Optum Group shares data on social media's link to tracking the COVID-19 pandemic. 

More payers launched virtual-first plans, insurtechs went public, and the digital mental health space brought in plenty of funding dollars this year.

This week's top stories include Optum and Change creating a healthcare powerhouse, Haven shutting down its operations, and patient engagement tools playing a key role in streamlining the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

naviHealth will continue to work with its clients and members as a stand-alone entity aligned with OptumHealth.

Optum was already a stakeholder in the New York company thanks to a "significant investment" it made early in 2019.

Healthcare is at a turning point when it comes to using data analytics; AI is no longer just a "nice to have" competency, says Tushar Mehrotra, senior vice president of analytics at Optum.