In recent years, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield has expanded into Connecticut, New Hampshire, Colorado, Nevada and Maine. Now add Kansas to the list.

        The Indianapolis-based Blue Cross conglomerate — which includes operations in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana — announced Thursday it has reached an agreement with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas for that company to become a wholly owned subsidiary of Anthem.

        Anthem agreed to pay $190 million. The deal would add more than 715,000 Kansans to the 7.5 million people already served by Anthem in eight states.

        The Kansas company would be converted from a mutual insurance company to a stock insurance company. That means Kansas policyholders would receive an estimated $370 million in cash, coming in part from the Kansas company's assets and in part from Anthem's payment.

        The deal is expected to close this year, subject to approval from the Kansas policyholders and the Kansas Department of Insurance.

Alliance chief says care will cost more
       

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