Announced on June 16th, California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has urged the U.S. Department of Justice to block the merger deal between Anthem, Inc., and Cigna Corporation. After an extensive review of the Anthem and Cigna merger, including expert testimony from Dr. Scheffler and Dr. Fulton, Commissioner Jones issued detailed findings that the merger of the second and fourth largest national health insurers is anti-competitive and will harm California consumers, businesses, and the California health insurance market. This marks the first instance of an insurance regulator opposing the merger of Anthem and Cigna.
Full details of the California Department of Insurance’s decision can be read here. The full letter from the California Department of Insurance to the DOJ, which cites the research done by Drs. Scheffler and Fulton, can be read here.