EDITORIAL: Ohio addresses its exchange problem
That meant 20 mostly rural counties would have no insurance companies offering health coverage through the exchange, affecting roughly 11,000 Ohioans.
On Monday, the state
This hardly is a complete repair to the exchange. Still, it is emblematic of the reality obscured by the hot talk about the exchanges spiraling to collapse. Again, the structure of the exchanges is essentially sound. What is required are adjustments, say, a better tool for attracting younger people, combined with sufficient backing to help the exchanges function effectively.
State regulators didn't stand aside. They rightly wanted to make the concept work.
It matters that four of the five insurers moving into the counties have Medicaid managed care plans. Individual buyers account for a tiny share of the overall market. Thus, it can be difficult in rural areas to build a network of providers.
State officials rightly stress that nothing yet is guaranteed. Insurers currently are weighing plans for next year. By the end of September, those participating in the exchanges must have a contract with the federal government.
The payments serve as a cushion against the unexpected in something new. Already lessons have been learned. States, for instance, increasingly see the value of implementing reinsurance, equipping insurers with a hedge against ending up with the most expensive patients.
Look at a map charting the performance of the exchanges across the country, and you find multiple choices of insurers in states as varied as
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(c)2017 the Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, Ohio)
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