Blue plans are likely to be among the leaders in the state exchanges where they can leverage their dominance into creating narrow-network plans that offer a price advantage over competitors, according to a report by Decision Resources. Humana is expected to be among the five largest carriers in enrollment for each exchange it competes in. Centene is poised to capitalize on its position as a leading managed Medicaid carrier and could become a major exchange player nationally through its Ambetter plans. Through its acquisition of Coventry, Aetna is in a prime position to be a top exchange player in several states and is particularly strong in the Southeast.
However, the health plans’ participation in the exchanges is expected to decline along with rising merger and acquisition activity and the continued introduction of narrow network products, said Carolyn McMeekin, vice president of Insight Products for Decision Resources Group. For more information, visitwww.DecisionResourcesGroup.com.
