GOP legislators have continually vowed to repeal the ACA, which may have a significant impact on payer participation in the exchanges in 2018, according to Politico.
Here are six highlights:
1. Many payers may leave exchanges out of fear the Americans will stop paying their premiums or will try to schedule pricey medical procedures prior to losing coverage.
2. In the first two week of 2016's current enrollment season, more than 1 million Americans purchased coverage through HealthCare.gov.
3. The Republicans have said they plan to repeal the ACA through a budget process called reconciliation. This process requires 51 Senate votes. However, this process cannot eliminate the entire health law, but only specific parts linked to funding.
4. President-elect Donald Trump and other GOP leaders said they support the ACA's mandate that bans discriminating against Americans with pre-existing conditions. However, if the GOP eliminated the ACA's mandate requiring consumers to buy coverage and subsidies that help them afford coverage, Politico states this could result in an "unworkable coverage system in which insurers must cover everyone regardless of medical condition."
5. The marketplaces are already waning as many payers pulled plans from the 2017 exchanges following massive financial losses. Now, payers may leave the exchanges for 2018 if the GOP gets rid of the funding for the cost-sharing subsidies insurers give to low-income customers.
6. The Obama administration and state officials are in talks with payers to motivate them to stay in the exchanges. However, these talks may not be enough to convince payers to remain in the marketplace due to healthcare's uncertain future, Politico reports.