Wow, quite a bit of real info in that article. Blue Cross, Blue Shield and Kaiser have 87% of the individual market in California. Aetna had 5% and United, had 2%.
[quote]Outside California, UnitedHealth said it expects to participate in about a dozen exchanges across the country for individuals or small-business customers.
“We continue to evaluate opportunities and make decisions regarding exchanges on a state-by-state basis,” said company spokeswoman Cheryl Randolph.
California has been more aggressive than other states in forcing insurers in the exchange to compete more directly on price by establishing uniform deductibles and benefits across four main product categories. In response, many insurers have squeezed hospitals and physician groups for better rates and formed smaller networks of medical providers to hold down premiums.[/quote]
So in a nutshell, they don’t want to play where people can compare apples to apples.