ConnectiCare and Anthem will continue to offer plans on Access Health Connecticut.
Gov. Dannel Malloy and Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman announced Wednesday that both companies have committed to participate in the state's health insurance exchange for 2018.
This is a major boost for the exchange that has been facing uncertainty for two years, but now faces greater uncertainty after President Donald Trump said lawmakers should let the Affordable Care Act implode.
Access Health has widely been considered around the country to be one of the bigger success stories to emerge from the Affordable Care Act. Uninsured rates have plummeted in Connecticut since the law took effect and Access Health started offering plans.
There was a concern in the healthcare and political arenas that there wouldn't be any companies offering plans due to changes at the federal level. President Trump intends on ending almost all outreach to get more people to sign up, and there have been discussions in Washington, D.C. that the subsidies used to help people pay for their premiums could be cut. The cost-sharing funds are a staple of the Affordable Care Act.
Premiums are expected to rise under the next round of open enrollment due to multiple factors. Both Connecticare and Anthem have filed rate proposals that take into account plans that would and would not have cost sharing.
Gov. Dannel Malloy and Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman are expected to announce later today that Access Health will have multiple carriers.
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The Trump administration significantly scaled back open enrollment and this year provides for only a six-week window for sign ups that starts Nov. 1.
The governor and lieutenant governor said around 100,000 Connecticut residents purchase coverage through Access Health CT.
