Anthem fills Virginia's bare ACA counties

Anthem said Friday it will offer Affordable Care Act exchange plans in the 63 Virginia counties and cities that were at risk of having no choices next year after a smaller regional insurer, Optima, scaled back its expansion.

The upshot: There are officially no more counties with zero ACA options for 2018 (again). But don't read this as a benevolent move by Anthem, which withdrew its ACA plans in Virginia just a month ago. Anthem has made its ACA strategy clear: It will play where it has a monopoly, and leave where there could be competition.