Government seeks more info on WellPoint-Amerigroup merger

The U.S. Department of Justice is asking for more information about the merger involving a major Ohio managed care plan and a major Ohio health insurer.

WellPoint, the parent company of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio, and Amerigroup each received requests last week from the justice department for additional information, according to an Amerigroup SEC filing.

“This request for additional information is a normal and expected part of the regulatory process,” reads the filing.

The WellPoint deal, announced in July, was one of several announced this year that pairs insurance companies with managed care plans. In March, Dayton-based CareSource said it will partner with Humana to serve low-income seniors dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Aetna said a week ago it plans to acquire Coventry Health Care Inc.

Anthem’s main Ohio offices are in Deerfield Twp. in Warren County. Anthem has about 800,000 Ohio members and employs about 3,500 people in the region.

Virginia-based Amerigroup has 56,000 Ohio Medicaid members.