Aetna Says It Will Stay In Current Health Law Markets And May Expand To Other States
The announcement comes after UnitedHealth said it was withdrawing from most of the exchanges.
The Wall Street Journal:
Aetna Not Withdrawing From Any Health-Law Insurance-Exchange States
Aetna Inc. expects to continue selling Affordable Care Act exchange plans in 15 states, and the insurer said it may expand into new areas. The announcement adds to the mixed picture that the industry has been providing about companies’ willingness to stick it out on the exchanges, which have generated red ink for many insurers. Insurers’ moves on the exchanges are being closely watched after UnitedHealth Group Inc. said last month that it would withdraw from all but a handful of the 34 states where it is offering the marketplace plans, amid continued losses. ... But other big insurers have struck a guardedly optimistic tone. (Wilde Mathews and Armour, 5/11)
Meanwhile, a task force responsible for coming up with a "replace" plan for the Affordable Care Act is set to lay out its draft to GOP leaders —
Morning Consult:
House GOP To Huddle Over Health Care As Hearing Hints At Changes
House GOP leaders announced Wednesday at a weekly closed-door conference meeting that they will present members with an update on the Republican Obamacare replacement plan on Thursday afternoon, according to a senior GOP aide. ... While the plan is not yet finalized, a hearing in Energy and Commerce Committee’s health subcommittee on Wednesday offered hints of what the replacement plan might contain. Committee members are mulling various ways to handle pre-existing conditions, quality of coverage, affordability and insurance regulation. (Owens, 5/11)
The Hill:
GOP Lawmakers To Get Briefing From Leaders Of ObamaCare Replacement Effort
The meeting, which will be attended by Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), marks the first time the task force will lay out a draft of its plan after months of conversations with members, according to a House GOP aide. The plan is expected to include numerous standard Republican health policy ideas — including a controversial proposal to cap the employer tax exclusion for health insurance, according to two Republican lobbyists. ... Details of the plan have been mostly kept quiet, but Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.), the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce health subcommittee, told The Hill that other elements include allowing insurers to sell across state lines and “beefing up” health savings accounts. (Sullivan and Ferris, 5/11)
Also see a related video on California Healthline: Sounds Like A Good Idea? Selling Insurance Across State Lines (Rovner and Ying, 5/10)