(Bloomberg) — Health insurer Centene Corp. plans a broad expansion of its Affordable Care Act public exchange plan offerings next year at a time when many of its big rivals are retreating from the program.
Centene said Tuesday that it would sell Affordable Care Act plans in three additional states: Kansas, Missouri and Nevada. The company also said it will expand in six states where it already offers exchange plans.
"Centene recognizes there is uncertainty of new health care legislation, but we are well-positioned to continue providing accessible, high quality and culturally-sensitive health care services," Chief Executive Officer Michael Neidorff said in the statement.
The company specializes in providing Medicaid coverage for low-income people, and has said the skills it's honed in that business have helped make it successful in Obamacare markets.
Aetna Inc., Humana Inc. and UnitedHealth Group Inc. have largely quit the individual health market after wracking up losses, leaving some consumers with fewer options. Republican efforts to repeal the health law, and uncertainty over the degree to which President Donald Trump's administration will continue to run it, have led to volatility in the market and contributed to the exits.
Centene's expansion could help add options for consumers who've seen other health plans quit their markets, though the company didn't give details on its exact plans. The states the company is expanding in are Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, Texas and Washington. Separately, Aetna confirmed on Tuesday that it filed to offer exchange plans in Nevada for 2018.
Insurers Leaving
