Insurer Participation in State-Based Marketplaces in 2016: A Closer Look

At the outset of the third open-enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) health insurance marketplaces, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reported that the number of insurance companies participating in the federally run marketplaces would remain relatively consistent from 2015 to 2016. This analysis of the 17 state-based marketplaces also found stable participation. Despite the struggles of many Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans (CO-OPs) and persistent market challenges, most state-based marketplaces have an equal or greater number of insurers competing for business this year.