Obama, Cigna Officials Talk Obamacare

Sept. 15--The chief executive officer of Cigna Corp. told investor analysts Wednesday that he and other executives, struggling with financial losses in public health exchanges, had a "good back and forth" recently with President Barack Obama, but he offered no details.

David Cordani was among a group of executives to meet with Obama on Monday. Bloomberg reported that Obama met with senior administration officials and industry executives, including Cordani, Humana Inc. CEO Bruce Broussard, FirstCare Health Plans CEO Darnell Dent, Blue Cross/Blue Shield CEO Andrew Dreyfus and Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell.

"We know that this progress has not been without challenges," Obama wrote to every insurance company offering 2017 coverage on the Affordable Care Act marketplace. "Most new enterprises have growing pains and opportunities for improvement."

In his letter, Obama said his administration was looking at how to increase enrollment among younger, healthier people to help balance the risk of covering sicker, healthier people.

Cordani would not talk about what was discussed.

"In general, the conversations take place behind closed doors in the White House, our conversation, it should take place behind closed doors in the White House, so I'm not going to get into a lot of details," he said.

Obama has periodically consulted with industry leaders "going all the way back to 2010" when the president and Congress were drafting the Affordable Care Act, Cordani said.

"So, this is a continuation of that active participation of his most senior staff," he said. "And I would say, good back and forth. Good back and forth in dialogue relative to the state of the state, what's working, what's not working, what can we do together going forward."

Aetna Inc. recently announced it's quitting many public health exchanges, citing losses expected this year of as much as $300 million. A group of five U.S. senators have questioned the motives behind Aetna's decision, asking CEO Mark Bertolini if it's linked to the Justice Department's effort to block Aetna's attempt to buy Humana for $37 billion.

UnitedHealth Group, the nation's biggest health insurer, announced in April it will cut its participation in public health insurance exchanges to a handful of states next year. It also cited financial losses.

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