As we've previously noted, United Healthcare is the 800# gorilla in the Federal Marketplace ("Exchange") room. While this may, in fact, be an enviable position, it's not without risk. Namely, "the bigger they are..."
Well, you know the rest:
"UnitedHealth lost $720 million on its individual-market health plans in 2015 ... nearly $300 million above estimates made a few months ago."
Ouch.
Of course, this was completely unexpected, nor was there any way for prescient carrier prognosticators to anticipate...
Wait, what?
"The health insurer ... said the poor experience in the ACA exchanges was due to sicker-than-average consumers enrolling in its health plans and a surplus of people signing up outside of the open-enrollment window."
Really? Sick folks signing up for health insurance at discounted rates for top-notch policies? Who'da thunk it?
[ed: On the other hand, what off-Open Enrollment sign-ups have to do with this is a mystery]
Fortunately, the company will be able to recoup most of these losses through the government's backstop risk corridor program.
Right?
Well, you know the rest:
"UnitedHealth lost $720 million on its individual-market health plans in 2015 ... nearly $300 million above estimates made a few months ago."
Ouch.
Of course, this was completely unexpected, nor was there any way for prescient carrier prognosticators to anticipate...
Wait, what?
"The health insurer ... said the poor experience in the ACA exchanges was due to sicker-than-average consumers enrolling in its health plans and a surplus of people signing up outside of the open-enrollment window."
Really? Sick folks signing up for health insurance at discounted rates for top-notch policies? Who'da thunk it?
[ed: On the other hand, what off-Open Enrollment sign-ups have to do with this is a mystery]
Fortunately, the company will be able to recoup most of these losses through the government's backstop risk corridor program.
Right?
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