U.S. health insurer Anthem's quarterly revenue rises 7.6 percent

Anthem Inc , which is fighting a U.S. government lawsuit to block its deal to buy Cigna Corp , said quarterly revenue rose 7.6 percent, helped by higher premiums and an increase in memberships.

The no. 2 U.S. health insurer said net income rose to $368.4 million, or $1.37 per share, in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, from $180.9 million, or 68 cents per share, a year earlier.

Total revenue rose to $21.71 billion from $20.19 billion.

A U.S. judge blocked health insurer Aetna Inc's proposed $34 billion acquisition of smaller peer Humana Inc last week, raising the stakes for Anthem's $54 billion deal to buy Cigna. The decision for the Anthem-Cigna deal is still pending.

(Reporting by Ankur Banerjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Martina D'Couto)