For about 60,000 Covered California customers, choosing a health plan next year will be easier, and possibly more painful, than ever: There will be only one insurer left in their communities after Anthem Blue Cross of California pulls out of much of the state’s individual market.
That means they could lose doctors they trust, or pay higher premiums.
Anthem’s departure is also a blow for the Covered California exchange, which often has boasted that healthy competition among its plans helped lower costs and improve its members’ access to care.
Competition won’t be so healthy next year for Covered California enrollees in six counties: Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Inyo and Mono. For them, it will be Blue Shield of California — or bust.
Portions of seven other counties also will be served only by Blue Shield.
Californians in those areas who buy their plans outside the Covered California exchange also may be limited to one insurer. It’s not clear how many people that includes.
View Article