Retreat!

Obamacare (full Monty version) is not even 2 years old and already the riptide

effect is being felt as carriers such as Assurant are leaving the market.

There has been speculation as to which carrier will be the next to leave the dance and party talk has focused on Cigna, Aetna, Coventry (now owned by Aetna) and to a lesser extent, Humana.

Apparently this is more than just backroom talk.

Leerink’s Ana Gupte wouldn’t be surprised if Aetna (AET) merged with either Humana (HUM) or Cigna (CI):

Consolidation remains likely, with CEO Mark Bertolini asserting that government business is the focus for inorganic growth, while compatible cultures for post-merger synergies were viewed as the driver in all transactions, with cheap debt making either Aetna-Humana and Aetna-Cigna meaningfully accretive possibilities and imminent. - Barrons

The next few months could be interesting. How many carriers will actually go to the 2016 prom?

This is looking like a bad remake of Carrie.

Stay tuned.