There was a 31% increase in merger and acquisition activity among insurance brokers in 2017, to a record 604 from 2016’s 461, Optis Partners L.L.C. said in a report Tuesday.

Healthcare has a cost problem. No one disputes that. But what many would dispute is the assertion that rapidly rising drug prices are the root cause of the problem. They are, as the latest data from the CMS and major hospital systems clearly show.

Alex Azar, Trump’s pick to lead the Health and Human Services Department, doubled down on his commitment to bringing down prescription drug prices Tuesday — and even added a new target for future policymaking: drug makers’ list prices.

The Trump administration proposed new rules on Thursday to make it easier for small businesses and individuals to buy a type of health plan long favored by conservatives that could bypass some of the insurance protections built into the Affordable Care Act.

In an unusual move, state regulators are ordering nine health plans to terminate their contracts with Employee Health Systems Medical Group Inc. and transfer 600,000 patients to different health care providers, after a company affiliated with Employee Health Systems was accused of blocking patients' access to specialists to hold down costs.

Since the Affordable Care Act went into effect, employers in the small group health insurance market (generally, employers with 50 employees or less) have faced rising costs and limited coverage options. This is because, under the ACA, the small group and individual markets require plans to include essential health benefits and community rating.