Only one county in US lacks an ACA insurer in 2018
Centene, Blue Cross Blue Shield in individual states, others, fill gaps left by Anthem's exit from exchange market.
Only Paulding County in Ohio is without an ACA insurer for 2018, and insurers still have time to finalize rate plans. (Credit: KFF.org)
In June, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a map showing 47 counties nationwide that would be without an Affordable Care Act insurer in 2018.
As of August 21, a new map released by the Kaiser Family Foundation tells a different story. Only Paulding County in Ohio is without an ACA insurer for 2018, and insurers still have time to finalize rate plans.
Insurers such as Centene and Blue Cross Blue Shield in individual states have filled the gaps left by Anthem's exit from the exchange market.
Centene is moving into several counties in Nevada and Missouri formerly occupied by Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City, respectively. Centene will cover 40 counties, including 25 of those left vacant by Blue Cross's exit.
In Nevada, Centene is covering 14 counties that would have been left without an insurer due to the exit of Anthem and Prominence Health Plans.
[Also: More shareholders sue Aetna over insurer's decision to leave ACA exchanges]
In Tennessee, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee stepped into the void left by Humana's exit that would have left 16 counties without an insurer in the exchange market.
Care Source, Medical Mutual, Molina and Paramount picked up the slack left by Anthem in Ohio in all but one county, Paulding County, where 334 consumers made plan selections in 2017.
After Anthem and Premier announced their exits from that state in June, the Ohio Department of Insurance said that based on preliminary rate filings, as of July 30, five companies had agreed to cover 19 of the 20 counties left vacant.
In Indiana, Centene and Care Source filled in markets left vacant by Anthem.
KFF said its report is based on insurer rate filings and news reports.
Insurance participation will not be finalized until the fall, and for many, is dependent upon whether insurers get a guarantee from the Trump administration that cost-sharing reduction payments will continue.
Twitter: @SusanJMorse
Email the writer: susan.morse@himssmedia.com
