Anthem pulls out of Obamacare market in Maine
Insurers face rampant uncertainty on deadline day
By Tom Howell Jr.
The Washington Times
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Anthem, a major insurer, said Wednesday it will pull out of the Obamacare marketplace in Maine next year, as insurers navigate choppy waters in the wake of the GOP’s failure to pass a repeal bill and square away plans to stabilize the markets.
Affected residents will still have options on the exchange, though customers who want to re-enroll in Anthem plans will not be able to tap Obamacare’s taxpayer-funded subsidies.
The decision coincided with Wednesday’s deadline for insurers to commit to participating in the federal exchanges known as HealthCare.gov. Signups begin Nov. 1.
So far, every U.S. county is expected to have at least one option, though choice is dwindling and many consumers will face premium increases, as insurers lurched into murky territory following the collapse of repeal negotiations on Capitol Hill.
Anthem, which pulled out of other states for 2018, blamed its latest exit on a “shrinking and deteriorating” individual market — Obamacare fell short of enrollment targets in the early rounds — and rampant uncertainty from Washington.
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Obamacare continues its march to oblivion, with, or without the dysfunctional Congress.
