Wednesday, June 21, 2017

#ACAWinning: Status Update [UPDATED]

 (Please scroll down for update)

From FoIB Holly R, two (interesting?) developments:

Some Evergreen state citizens are in for a shock come November:

"Two Washington State Counties Lack ACA Health Insurer for 2018"

The local Blue Cross franchise, Premera, has decided to dump these two (so far, but who knows, maybe more) due to cost concerns for insureds neighboring counties.

And in Iowa, Hawkeye state residents can look forward to rate increases topping 43% (43.5%, to be precise), just as we predicted. The good news is that Medica has decided to stick around for the 2018 plan year, but at promise comes with a price:

"We know this will impact people who do not currently receive a subsidy particularly hard," says the carrier's VP. Which is true, but of course misses the big picture that the subsidies don't come from out of thin air. Gee, wonder where they do come from.

Econ 101, how does it work?

Ah, well.

UPDATE: And now The Badger State joins the fun:

"Anthem [BX] ... has made the difficult decision to reduce its 2018 Individual plan offering in Wisconsin to one eoof-exchange medical plan in Menominee county only"

This is similar to their Ohio game plan for next year; one supposes for the same reason:

"They are doing this so it doesn't constitute a full exit. Under HIPAA rules full exits require insurers to leave markets for five years."

Tick, tock...
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