Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Key Insurers On Health Law Exchanges Reaffirm Commitment To That Market
The Wall Street Journal: Aetna, Anthem Say Individual Commercial Business Is On Track
Health insurers Aetna Inc. and Anthem Inc. on Friday said their individual commercial businesses have performed within expectations lately, a day after UnitedHealth Group Inc. said it was considering exiting the Affordable Care Act’s exchanges. The statements could be a sign that big problems with business on government exchanges aren’t widespread across insurers. (Becker, 11/20)
The Associated Press: Insurers Reassure Investors About ACA Exchange Business
Health insurers rallied Friday to ease investor and customer concerns about the Affordable Care Act's public insurance exchanges a day after the nation's biggest insurer questioned its future in that still-developing market. Blue Cross-Blue Shield insurer Anthem and Medicaid coverage provider Molina Healthcare both said they are making money off their exchange business, and Anthem joined Aetna, the nation's third-largest health insurer, in reaffirming its 2015 earnings forecast. (Murphy, 11/20)
Reuters: Aetna, Anthem Reassure Investors On Obamacare Business
U.S. health insurers Aetna Inc and Anthem Inc on Friday sought to reassure investors that their Obamacare businesses had not worsened after UnitedHealth Group Inc warned of mounting losses in that sector. Aetna and Anthem said their individual insurance businesses, which include the plans created by President Barack Obama's national healthcare reform law, had performed in line with projections through October. Both backed their earnings forecasts for 2015. (Humer, 11/20)
The Hill: Major Insurers Anthem, Aetna Standing Behind ObamaCare Plans
Health insurance giants Anthem and Aetna are standing behind their ObamaCare plans one day after a top competitor warned it might pull out of the exchanges. In a statement on Friday, both companies backed their 2015 forecasts and said they remained committed to the exchanges. (Ferris, 11/20)
NBC News: Will Nation's Top Health Insurer Kill Obamacare?
Thursday's news that the No. 1 U.S. health insurer, UnitedHealth Group, might withdraw from the health insurance exchanges mandated by so-called Obamacare legislation divided experts into two camps. (White, 11/21)
The Connecticut Mirror: Unlike UnitedHealth, Aetna, Anthem Say They Will Stay In ACA Exchanges
UnitedHealth may quit the nation’s insurance exchanges, but Aetna and Anthem say they are staying and will work on problems with the marketplaces. The largest U.S. insurer by market value, UnitedHealth said this week it expects to lose as much as $500 million selling coverage under the Affordable Care Act next year. (Radelat, 11/20)
Bloomberg: Hospitals Feel Pain As UnitedHealth Eyes Health-Exchange Exit
The possible departure of insurance leader UnitedHealth Group Inc. from the Affordable Care Act signals worsening prospects for hospitals already facing a slowdown in gains from the program. ... Hospitals, including for-profit chains HCA Holdings and Tenet Healthcare, have already agreed to cuts in Medicare reimbursements, expecting they'd see fewer uninsured patients, said Sheryl Skolnick, an analyst with Mizuho Securities USA Inc. in New York. The administration has predicted slow growth in sign-ups under the ACA, and UnitedHealth's announcement suggests insurers are less willing to participate. (Lauerman, 11/20)
California Healthline: UnitedHealth's Threat To Leave Exchanges Not Expected To Mean Much in California
UnitedHealth Group's announcement this week that it may pull out of Affordable Care Act exchanges is not expected to have much of an impact on Covered California, experts said, but the move could have serious repercussions in other exchanges. (Lauer, 11/20)
And concerns also continue about the effect of pending mergers among major insurers -
The New York Times: States Urged To Review Health Insurer Mergers
Consumer advocates and antitrust experts are urging state regulators to closely examine the proposed mergers of major health insurance companies, saying they threaten to leave consumers with fewer choices and higher prices. On Friday, David A. Balto, an antitrust lawyer and former federal regulator, asked the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, composed of state officials, to create a working group to help regulators conduct their reviews. (Abelson, 11/20)
