Half of Virginia Will Have Zero Options

dgoldenz

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Virginia
Optima was originally going to take over the counties that Anthem exited, now they changed their mind:

After insurer departures, 70,000 Virginians will not be able to purchase health coverage in 2018 | Business | roanoke.com

The Affordable Care Act exchange is collapsing in Virginia, with the last potential insurer pulling out of western Virginia and leaving about 70,000 people without the ability to purchase health insurance for 2018.

“Any individual, regardless of income, who purchased an individual policy — on the exchange or non-exchange — won’t be able to buy a policy next year,” Carilion Clinic Chief Financial Officer Don Halliwill said Tuesday. “When people think of the exchange, they think of poor people. That’s not accurate. It’s all income levels.”

About 40,000 of the people affected live within Carilion’s service area.

Should nothing change before the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid’s Sept. 27 deadline for insurers to participate, parts of Virginia, including the Roanoke and New River valleys, will be the only places in the U.S. without at least one insurer, according to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Open enrollment starts Nov. 1 for policies that take effect Jan. 1.
 
This is on the IFPs, right? Presumably someone with a small business would still be able to get coverage or no?
 
This is on the IFPs, right? Presumably someone with a small business would still be able to get coverage or no?

This is only for IFP. A small business can get a group plan from multiple different carriers provided they have enough employees to make a group. In SC all you need is 2 full-time employees ... other states it can be different. Idk if VA allows 2man groups or not.
 
Optima was originally going to take over the counties that Anthem exited, now they changed their mind:

After insurer departures, 70,000 Virginians will not be able to purchase health coverage in 2018 | Business | roanoke.com

Word is they are asking for 81% or so rate increase in the areas where they will still operate. They lost enrollees last year to Anthem due to cost. I fear that those who have sticker shock will just drop coverage, those who can't do that will be in the spiral. How could things be much different for the very ill from the state pools that lost money. Some carriers are supporting "individual states making their own plans". Would like to see suggestions for that.
 
Well I guess Anthem is back....sort of:

HealthKeepers expands 2018 Individual plan offerings to 68 Virginia cities and counties on and off the exchange



HealthKeepers has served consumers in the Individual market in Virginia for decades and we remain committed to ensuring all Virginians have an option for health insurance coverage available to them.

Since learning that 63 counties and cities would not have access to Individual health plans, HealthKeepers has been engaged in further evaluation and discussion with regulators to ensure that no bare counties or cities exist in Virginia.

As a result of the ongoing discussions, today HealthKeepers filed to revise its Individual health plan offerings for 2018 to include both on- and off-exchange Individual plans in 68 cities and counties in Virginia. Sixty-three of these cities and counties would otherwise not have access to Individual market health plans. This decision will positively impact up to 70,000 Virginians-many of whom would not have had access to important health care coverage.


For 2018, HealthKeepers will offer Individual market plans in the following Virginia cities and counties. Plans will be available on and off the exchange in these counties.
Accomack Essex Lexington Roanoke County
Alleghany Fauquier Madison Roanoke City
Augusta Floyd Martinsville Rockbridge
Bath Franklin Middlesex Russell
Bland Franklin City Montgomery Salem City
Botetourt Frederick New Kent Scott
Bristol City Galax Northampton Shenandoah
Brunswick Giles Northumberland Smyth
Buchanan Goochland Norton Southhampton
Buena Vist City Grayson Orange Staunton
Caroline Greensville Page Tazewell
Carroll Henry Patrick Washington
Covington City Highland Powhatan Waynesboro
Craig King and Queen Pulaski Westmoreland
Culpepper King William Radford City Winchester City
Dickenson Lancaster Rappahannock Wise
Emporia City Lee Richmond County Wyth


HealthKeepers will remain focused on developments in the Individual marketplace and will continue to advocate for solutions that will stabilize the market and allow us to once again, offer Individual insurance coverage throughout the state of Virginia in the future.

Questions and answers

What made HealthKeepers decide to expand its Individual offering?
By expanding in these cities and counties, we can help ensure that residents in all regions of the state have access to a health plan. Additionally, offering Individual health plans in these markets helps to reduce the number of uninsured members negatively impacting the rural healthcare providers.

Did the state ask you to come back in those counties after Optima announced it was withdrawing?
In our discussions with regulators it was clear these, mostly rural counties, would not have any insurers offering plans. To ensure that residents in all regions of the state have access to a health plan, we made the decision to offer plans in these counties. Additionally, offering Individual health plans in these markets helps to reduce the number of uninsured members negatively impacting the rural healthcare providers.

If you were able to expand to this area, why not expand to other parts of the state?
It's important to note that every market is very unique but our goal is ensuring residents in all parts of the state have access to health plans. Without expanding in these counties, residents would be left without access to a health plan. However, these counties have demonstrated market stability and a balanced risk pool. As such, we're confident in our ability to offer coverage options.

In how many counties does HealthKeepers currently offer individual health plans?
In 2017, we offered Individual on- and off-exchange health plans in 128 Virginia cities and counties.

In how many counties will HealthKeepers offer in individual health plans in 2018?
In 2018, we will offer on- and off-exchange health plans in 68 Virginia cities and counties.
 
I still have not received any info on any plan offerings in Albemarle County as well as a number of others.
 
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I still have not received any info on any plan offerings in Albemarle County as well as a number of others.

Any county/city with a Sentara hospital group facility in Virginia is to have coverage available through Optima, as I was informed. If an agent is not now appointed with Optima for individual plans, they won't have the ability to sell them. Agents currently appointed with Optima will be able to sell Optima plans. I believe Albemarle County (Charlottesville) is one of the Optima areas.
 
Any county/city with a Sentara hospital group facility in Virginia is to have coverage available through Optima, as I was informed. If an agent is not now appointed with Optima for individual plans, they won't have the ability to sell them. Agents currently appointed with Optima will be able to sell Optima plans. I believe Albemarle County (Charlottesville) is one of the Optima areas.

Yep! I have figured all of this out since my previous post. Maybe I'll go to Hawaii in November now.
 
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