It would be hard to miss the news reports on the woes facing the health insurance industry these days. President Trump and Congress are still haggling over the details of the Affordable Care Act – whether to repeal it entirely, replace it, alter it, or simply do nothing at all. Meanwhile there is the question of funding subsidies; will they or won’t they write those checks?

Amid the confusion and uncertainty, many health insurance providers are getting cold feet. Between 2016 and 2017, 25 states lost insurance companies who dropped out of their markets. This year, that trend is spreading to California, as Anthem Blue Cross has announced that they will not continue health care policies in much of the state next year.

Anthem customers in Santa Clara County, a few Northern counties, and the Central Valley area won’t see any changes. All other Anthem customers in California will be tasked with choosing a new healthcare plan during Open Enrollment this fall.

The change affects about 153,000 Californians, or roughly 10 percent of customers enrolled through Covered California. So far, Anthem is the only health insurance provider to (mostly) drop out of the state this year. Luckily, most of those customers will be able to choose from at least three remaining providers in their areas.

We will continue to keep you updated on changes to our health insurance marketplace here in California. And, as always, keep in mind that you aren’t limited to the health insurance options offered through Covered California. You can also give us a call and we’ll help you compare private health insurance plans.