Trending News Today: Another Payer Withdraws from ACA Marketplace

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield announced it will largely stop selling insurance plans on the marketplace in Wisconsin, citing a volatile market. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Anthem’s withdrawal from the market follows United Healthcare’s decision to pull out last year. An estimated 14,000 individuals are insured through the company’s health plans sold on Wisconsin’s marketplaces, equating to less than 6% of the 242,863 people who were enrolled in health plans sold on the marketplaces. Anthem stated that its decision will not affect employer health plans, Medicare Advantage plans, or Medicaid plans. Furthermore, the insurer will continue to renew its transitional plans sold prior to March 2010 and December 2013.

On Wednesday, Gov Chris Christie (R-NJ) went after the state’s Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, citing systemic failures, according to The Wall Street Journal. The insurance giant is the largest payer in the state and has been the subject of repeated state-enforcement actions for more than a year, including a $15.5 million fine, the WSJ reported. Gov Christie also proposed giving the state more control over its finances.

A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll reveals that most Americans believe the American Health Care Act will be harmful to Medicaid recipients and low-income individuals with preexisting conditions. According to The New York Times, the unveiling of the plan to overhaul the Affordable Care Act will be met with skeptics who already opposed the earlier version of the plan that passed in the House.