Kansas: Medica and Coventry (Aetna) may be joining the exchange for 2017

Thanks to JJGomez127 for the heads up:

Kansas health insurance marketplace may gain company offerings for 2017

TOPEKA, KS — Ken Selzer, CPA, Kansas Commissioner of Insurance, said today that Kansas health insurance consumers may have additional company options for coverage in the federallyrun marketplace for 2017.

“Health insurance options filed now for the individual market show that competition will likely continue for Kansans’ health insurance policies,” Commissioner Selzer said.

Filings with the Kansas Insurance Department as of May 2 show two additional carriers may participate in the marketplace. Medica, a non-profit, Minnesota-based company, and Coventry Health and Life are companies that have filed for the 2017 open enrollment period.

Medica Insurance Company is set to offer a number of plans, and Coventry is proposing Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO) Network plans. Both companies have filed to offer plans off the federally-facilitated marketplace as well.

Continuing on the federally-facilitated marketplace in Kansas for 2017 are plans filed by BlueCross BlueShield Kansas Solutions (offered in 103 counties) and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (offered only in Johnson and Wyandotte counties).

In addition to UnitedHealthcare pulling out of Kansas next year, Humana is doing so as well (off-exchange only, 1,800 people).

It's worth noting that Coventry has actually been a subsidiary of Aetna for several years now, which puts this earlier story about Aetna expanding ACA exchange covereage in a new light: They may be doing so under the Coventry branding. I should also note that Coventry is already selling policies in Kansas off-exchange this year; the difference is that they'd be selling them on-exchange as well.

Assuming both Medica and Coventry do indeed follow through with their intentions to join the exchange, they would nicely fill in the gap created by United (and to a lesser extent, Humana). More soon.