Health insurance companies have to inform the federal government today if they are in or out of the ACA's individual and small-group marketplaces for next year. There's reason to believe many insurers that have publicly committed to offer plans will indeed sign contracts.
Who's likely in
Who's outAetna, Humana and UnitedHealth Group are still gleefully sitting on the sidelines.The othersAnthem has pruned its exchange plans heavily. It's the company to watch most closely this week, along with the other state Blue Cross Blue Shield plans.Centene has aggressively expanded its offerings. It'd be surprising if the company made any last-minute changes. Molina Healthcare, the troubled Medicaid insurer, is a little unpredictable given its massive ACA losses. But a spokesperson said Molina "plans to participate in the 2018 individual exchanges in California, Florida, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas and Washington."The wild card: If the Trump administration continues to play chicken with cost-sharing subsidies, insurers may hedge the risk by jacking up premiums. They'd rather pay back the money to consumers in the form of rebates, or drop out entirely, than roll the dice on lower premiums.
