How exactly do they win? If this happened a month ago, you might only see a vet=y vt small handful of carriers left on the exchange nationally and any Americans with no choice. This is a big deal in a lot of ways.
We were lucky/smart and included the cost of this decision when we filed rates. So it likely has a limited short term impact to us in the NC market.
The irony here is that the premium subsidies, to LCs point, will largely cover this de-fundng and most consumers wont even notice it. Its actually the brilliance of the ACA...No matter how much rates go up, if you have an income lower than 40% and above 100%, your premium costs are capped thanks to Uncle Sam. But those you buy plans sans subsidies are once again hosed. Really bad policy by the Rs here. Almost as bad policy by the dems to set up an inherently inflationary design.
We also need to stop calling these bail outs. CSRs were required by the law and the law also said that to cover for this extra expense, the Feds would reimburse the actual benefit costs (very complicated formula). The trick is congress wrote it in a manner that allows them to stop paying them. Oooops.
It will interesting to watch how carriers and consumers react.
