Thursday, August 08, 2013

What if they gave an Exchange and nobody came? [UPDATED]

Lest it be lost amid the noisy crash of the Data Hub, here's news that should cheer up folks who despair that - once all these pesky "security issues" are settled - life on the Public Exchanges will be a bowlful of cherries and choices.

Wait, did I say "cheer up?"

So sorry - I meant to say 'discourage:'

"Major health insurance companies--Blue Cross, Aetna, United, Humana--have decided not to participate in various states in the Obamacare health-insurance exchanges ... Aetna, a fortune 100 company with $34.2 billion in revenue, has pulled out of the government-run exchanges in three states"

And of course we've documented plenty of other examples. The net result is that these Exchanges - literal oligopolies - will offer little (if any) choice and much higher prices, irrespective of any anticipated subsidies. But it's so superior to the system we leave behind....

UPDATE: And co-blogger Patrick just sent along this news:

"Aetna has reversed course on plans to participate in Ohio’s federally-mandated health insurance exchange next year ... Aetna has withdrawn its individual exchange filing in Ohio for 2014 but plans to continue offering its Coventry individual product on the exchange"

While we haven't been privy to details of the Coventry (a recent Aetna acquisition) product, it's a safe bet that it will feature a "skinny network" (and most likely higher rates than folks have been led to believe).
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